Rhapsody in Blue
by Samurai Smee
Summary: Grimmjow x Byakuya. Grimmjow is captured and detained in the Soul Society for questioning. Byakuya cannot help but have other plans for the violent, gorgeous enemy as a result. Yaoi, drama, sweet-fluff; the works.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rhapsody in Blue

**Chapter One**

"Get your fucking hands off of me, you bastards!" a deep, richly wild voice suddenly boomed throughout the elongated captain's headquarters of squad one, nearly shaking the pristine, somberly-colored walls as the huge, double doors were banged open.

All of the remaining captains of the Soul Society could not help but turn their heads towards the source of such vulgar, commanding noise, as multiple members of the mysterious kido corps were all wrestling a struggling, shouting form into the dignified room to stand before them all.

Eyes widened dramatically as the statuesque captains standing on either side of the room beheld the sight of stunning, electric blue hair thrashing from side to side as a bloodied and heavily battered white-clad male strained his muscles against the ominously masked men that were holding him back and trying to force him onto his knees.

Grimmjow Jeagerjaques had his immaculate, white teeth grit in ferocious resistance in spite of how the kido squad had had his hands and wrists bound behind his back with several layers of spells as the defeated arrancar was violently shoved down onto his knees in a classic display of submission, as he cast his furious, sky blue eyes towards the head captain seated a little ways before him.

The spectacle was a most intriguing one to all of the speechless onlookers, as the lively enemy, whose blood was currently splashing onto the polished floors beneath his crouched form, continued to harshly shrug off the many hands holding onto him and keeping him still.

One pair of naturally half-lidded, grey eyes, as grey as any chilled slab of intricately crafted stone, was particularly glued to the savage-looking male in the center of the room as the stoic squad six captain felt his own blood rush with invigorating adrenaline just from seeing such an unspeakable, enticing person in the flesh.

"_Wow...he's...I have never seen anyone like him before,"_ the Kuchiki male thought boldly to himself as he admittedly marveled at the way the fiery espada male's tanned skin contrasted so heavily with the bright white of his hakama and opened yet tattered jacket that revealed, almost as if in pride, his hollow hole and his thickly-lined number '6' along his lower back.

The aged but seemingly forever serene head captain thudded his walking cane solidly against the clean, hardwood floor in a single, startling gesture, demanding immediate attention as the powerful and highly-revered soul reaper was prepared to address the matter presented him to his subordinates.

"Espada number six, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, you have been found guilty of your violent crimes against the Soul Society and the inhabitants thereof;" Head Captain Yamamoto's overly-gruff voice announced with skilled conviction as he kept his narrowed eyes trained keenly on the blue-haired and bloodied enemy before him,"however, it has come to my attention that, as one of the elite espada, you have worked closely alongside the traitor Sosuke Aizen."

A few of the captains around the room tightened their respective jaws at the mention of the most sullied name in all of the Soul Society, the realization of their head captain's words dawning on them even more so, however, as they eyed Grimmjow Jeagerjaques with a new level of understanding as to why he was presently in this room.

He could be potentially useful to their methods of operations in their war against the other arrancars.

His fate was to be decided.

Grimmjow snarled defiantly as he peered up through his fallen, blue bangs at the bearded man, detesting how he had been captured by the soul reapers, hating how all of the captains were watching him now like he was some sort of disgusting creature on display, hating...how the head captain had mentioned Aizen's name to him.

"Therefore, we are keeping you prisoner here in order to retrieve information about Aizen's upcoming plans," the eldest soul reaper concluded simply, already sensing a number of piqued interests and silent questions floating around the room at his disclosed decision.

"_Prisoner...?"_Byakuya quickly reiterated to himself, his genius, highly-strategic mind already analyzing possibilities of outcomes of such a predicament and exactly what that could mean for such a notorious person within their grasp and, ultimately, their disposal.

"Ha! You think you can keep me here?! Think again, old man!" Grimmjow proclaimed venomously at the head captain, grinning madly with a wicked glint in his devastatingly blue eyes, before suddenly kicking the ground hard and launching himself towards the seated man, malice in his smile as he broke free from his captors with nothing but brute strength.

However, just as he was only a foot away from Head Captain Yamamoto, who was still seated and just as calm in spite of the ravenous enemy who had just proceeded to tear him apart with whatever means, Grimmjow's every movement came to an abrupt halt as all of the remaining Court Guard Squad captains had their zanpaktos poised at his neck and a few at his heart, ready to strike him dead.

"Tch," Grimmjow voiced heatedly at his failed attempt to quench his rage with the elderly soul reaper, the many, cool blades of the surrounding captains crossing and angling dangerously around his most vital places before they were given the word to do otherwise, rendering the espada unable to move in any direction.

"Such foolishness shall not be tolerated!" Head Captain Yamamoto spoke harshly as he opened one of his eyes at his would-be attacker, seemingly sizing up everything Grimmjow was and stood for in the one, singular gesture, his proud words positively coursing through his captain-ranked subordinates who had yet to move an inch away from their enemy.

"Then, just go ahead and kill me, old man. I'd rather die than stay here with you fucking people anyway..."Grimmjow commented darkly, acid lining his every syllable as he narrowed his eyes and began to relax his tense, tanned muscles as a sort of signal to the captains that he was through trying to attack in his current, defeated state.

None of the blades were lowered from the espada's throat and chest, however, and Grimmjow leisurely trailed his gaze over to his right, perhaps in disdain or even boredom, and immediately caught the hauntingly beautiful gaze of Byakuya Kuchiki as the raven-haired male held fast onto Senbonsakura and stood his ground.

The bewildering event had only taken place within the space of a few seconds, but Byakuya knew that Grimmjow had seen the inevitable surprise that had briefly flashed over his pale face due to him seeing the espada's entrancing, blue eyes from so up close, the noble soul reaper even able to notice the tiny, teal-colored markings around the edges those beautiful eyes from underneath the dried, cracked blood that matted his face.

Grimmjow's profile was astoundingly striking to the briefly gaping Kuchiki, as the espada's strong features, even in spite of his current disheveled state, were impossibly handsome to the raven-haired male who could not even register inside his mind that he was made unable to look away.

However, as soon as the temporary respite from the surrounding world had come, it was gone, as Grimmjow turned his now narrowed gaze back towards the head captain in front of him, ending his mutual, pregnant stare with the pale, older man to his right whose inky bangs descended across his brow at an appealing, alluring angle for all who cared to look his way.

"Squad Two Captain Soi Fon," Head Captain Yamamoto called suddenly, pointedly ignoring Grimmjow's request to merely end his life where he stood.

"Sir!" the short, female captain piped up, her blade that had been directed over Grimmjow's heart quickly disappearing as she replaced it in its sheath along her back while she addressed her aged superior.

"This espada is to be held in the squad two prison until further notice," Captain Yamamoto instructed her coolly, his voice and simplicity of his words leaving no room for confusion or error, as he watched the aforementioned female bow to him before replying.

"Yes, sir. I'll have my men escort him immediately!" Captain Soi Fon responded enthusiastically; no later had her words left her mouth did several members of her black-clad Stealth Force appear at her side, kneeling respectfully with their heads bowed.

As the other captains withdrew their zanpaktos from Grimmjow's slightly taller form now that orders had been given, Captain Kuchiki could not help but feel a tiny pang of disappointment upon learning that the mysterious and admittedly attractive espada was to be shipped off with another squad.

"Well, I'm just glad that it's not my squad that has to watch over him. Could you imagine how lovestruck Nanao would have been if I had shown up with _him_ next to me...!" Captain Kyoraku chimed in, more so to Jushiro Ukitake, as he intentionally tried to lighten the seemingly sullen and depressing atmosphere amongst them all as the captains all sheathed their respective zanpaktos and stepped away from Grimmjow and the approaching Stealth Force, giving them all room to move about.

Captain Ukitake chuckled at his friend's odd humor before replying.

"You may be right about that," the long-haired, thirteenth squad captain agreed lightheartedly with his old friend, as the same, blue-haired male they were discussing was being walked back towards the double doors he had entered in from, members of the Stealth Force relieving the kido group as Grimmjow Jeagerjaques let the black-dressed men show him his way with Soi Fon trailing behind in case the unpredictable espada tried anything.

Byakuya Kuchiki, unaffected by the side conversations going on around him as his comrades took this momentary reprieve from their meeting to socialize amongst each other, watched with curious, partially longing eyes as Grimmjow was being made to walk out of the room, his well-muscled and bronzed arms still being bound behind his wide, strong back by layers of kido all the while.

However, the minute before Grimmjow and his group of escorts had successfully moved out of the room to make a sharp right down the corridor, bright blue eyes turned to meet his steady, waiting gaze as well, giving Byakuya another electric jolt to be felt all over his body just from simply seeing that magnificent color looking back at him once more.

Grimmjow smirked from over his shoulder upon seeing the raven-haired man with diamond-cut features and the scent of sakura petals within the fabric of his clothes, his soul, as the latter had obviously received a shock in meeting his gaze again, this one having not been by some sort of unforeseeable chance.

Then, with the many, skilled assassins on either side of him, Grimmjow strode out of the captain's headquarters and out of Byakuya's line of sight, the Kuchiki instantly feeling it both easier to breathe now that such a revelation had ended, but also a certain degree of emptiness trying to creep into his mind.

The squad six captain closed his intimidating eyes and schooled his pallid features, mentally reprimanding himself for not thinking clearly, not remembering his role and ultimate duties as a noble and a captain, as Byakuya took a deep, calming breath and attempted to forget all about what had just happened during this meeting.

"_Forget that man;" _the head of the Kuchiki household mentally scolded himself, his own voice inside his head losing its initial solidarity the more he continued, _"...he is an enemy of the Soul Society and the only reason he is still breathing is because of his ties of Aizen. Forget...those beautiful blue..."_

"Captain Kuchiki," a pleasantly raspy, male voice suddenly spoke to him, tearing him away from his thoughts, for which the squad six captain was a little grateful.

"Yes? What is it, Captain Hitsugaya?" Captain Kuchiki responded with his usual indifference in his heavily timbered voice, opening his onyx eyes and looking down upon the young captain who appeared to be quite troubled about something.

"I couldn't help but notice that that espada looked directly at you before leaving the room..."the white-haired captain began, reminding the Kuchiki noble of just how perceptive and talented his short comrade truly was, while he listened to him continue, "...be wary of that man, Captain Kuchiki. Back in the World of the Living, he almost killed Ichigo Kurosaki and severely injured a few others of my team. He's dangerous and feels no remorse for his actions."

Truth be told, Byakuya was a little humbled that the small captain would choose to warn him about Grimmjow Jeagerjaques as per his blatant observation of said man seeking the noble male out one last time before taking his leave; the white-haired youth having genuinely been able to see some sort of connection, however vague it might have been, and wished to inform the squad six captain of just _what_ had caught his attention before any more time had passed.

"Thank you, Captain Hitsugaya. I appreciate your concern," Captain Kuchiki replied almost monotonously, for as much as he may have valued Toshiro's words of fair warning to him, they paled in comparison to what his mind was currently telling him about the tall, intriguing male, the one person whom he felt he could not understand at first glance.

Everything that the raven-haired noble could glean from his brief encounter with Grimmjow Jeagerjaques had him secretly rampant to learn more, to know exactly what fueled such an unrestrained, furious man who appeared to place very little stock in his own life just as long as he could sink his teeth into what he craved, significant traits of the espada's reckless personality that contrasted so greatly with his own much more mild and harmonious one.

Byakuya Kuchiki, within the very fibers of his being, desired to know if such an astounding, captivating beast could be tamed and let those who wished to touch him do so.

The prospective challenge was intoxicating; the possible implications of such were worthy of obsession to the interested Kuchiki; and, at this moment, Byakuya acknowledged that no amount of verbal warnings about the seemingly untouchable Jeagerjaques would be enough to sway him from his ideas.

With no more words being exchanged between the two men, Captain Hitsugaya being satisfied that Byakuya had responded to him at all, the captains all left the spacious, important room at their own pace and discretion for their captains' meeting had been concluded and they were free to resume their duties as usual.

X

Twenty-seven minutes later...

"Turn him around," Soi Fon ordered of her squad members who were gripping tightly onto each of Grimmjow's arms and shoulders as they all had approached the simple, metal-barred cell which was to detain the criminal espada for the time being.

With a bored expression on his handsome, bloodied face, Grimmjow and his captors turned around to face the small, female captain of squad two as she glared up into his side-gazing eyes that appeared to be annoyed with the whole situation.

"Yeah...? If there's something you want to say, just spit it out..."Grimmjow said exasperatedly, just trying to get underneath the strict captain's skin as her features tightened even more before she addressed him.

"Let it be clear that while you are here, you will show me and my men respect, and furthermore..."Captain Soi Fon attempted to say in her typically rough-sounding voice that sent most people into a brief panic, before her statement was abruptly cut off.

"Jeeze, can't I just go into the cell without all the lectures and shit...?" the sexta espada whined stubbornly, totally oblivious to the raw anger that appeared on the second squad captain's face when he had finished interrupting her.

Suddenly, Soi Fon leapt high into the air, her captain's haori fluttering behind her in soft, white folds of fabric, before the female soul reaper kicked a leg out hard and slammed the top of her tiny foot across the side of Grimmjow's face.

Her feet landed soundlessly on the floor in the same spot from which she had just jumped as her haori settled down her back once more, as Soi Fon kept her chilly, navy-colored glare cast on Grimmjow as he first spat out a few drops of blood from his mouth before grinning broadly and meeting her heated gaze with one of his own.

"You know...for a midget, I think I'm starting to like you!" Grimmjow joked arrogantly, loving how his cheekiness only made her gnash her teeth together harder and tighten her fists at her sides.

"Lock him in the jail cell!" Captain Soi Fon hollered to her nearby subordinates who had witnessed the whole scene of Grimmjow taking one of their captain's expertly-skilled blows and then made light of it.

"Yes, ma'am!" the two subordinates replied in unison before hastily shoving the blue-haired male inside the barred confines and then quickly banging the cell door closed, one of them hurrying to lock it with the set of keys in his gloved hand before Jeagerjaques had any kind of opportunity to retaliate.

"Ugh...can't anyone be a little gentler around here?" Grimmjow mocked the Soul Society again as he righted his steps and posture inside the mainly cement-walled cell, looking around the indefinitely plain surroundings and supplies as there was only a small cot placed against one of the sides nearest the tiny, barred window.

Grimmjow eyed the off-white cot with a bit of aggravation, the thread-bare cushion looking hardly big enough to support the espada's large, powerful frame as the blue-haired male begrudgingly sat down on it instead.

With narrowed, analyzing eyes, the sexta espada noticed that his captors had left the area outside his jail cell but were probably standing guard by the door down the short hallway, he imagined, and scoffed at the idea that he was now totally alone, a true rarity in his line of work.

"...shit," Grimmjow said quietly to no one in particular, dropping his broad, sturdy shoulders quite a bit as he rested his forearms on his knees, half-way appreciating the break of constantly being pushed and pulled around by these people, and somewhat feeling a bit downtrodden.

Here he was, in the dreaded, rejected Soul Society, to do their bidding and help their side out against his once-superior and lord, Sosuke Aizen and his remaining menagerie of like-minded arrancars.

Grimmjow realized that he did have pertinent information that would be rather vital for the soul reapers to learn about the murderous, brunette psychopath, coupled with the fact that he had always disliked Aizen for his own reasons and that by, in fact, adhering to his captors' rules, he just might make it out of this alive.

The Jeagerjaques male sighed, his mind coming up with too many directions that he could go with his situation, but unable to carry out a single one of them right this second, being in the tasteless, kido-blocked cell that he was.

In spite of feeling wholly restless and perturbed, Grimmjow reclined back on his small cot and swung his legs around to lie down properly, his battered and physically tired body battling diligently with his racing mind and recollecting thoughts as he sighed in relief from finally letting his overworked muscles release their tension.

Deep, blue eyes closed as Grimmjow placed his large, calloused hands behind his head, cradling the back of his neck and scalp, as he shifted his weight upon the surprisingly soft cot to further dig his own body into the supple, relaxing contours and bumps of fabric, his mind remembering something extraordinary while he did so.

Smirking slyly, Grimmjow welcomed the enveloping sensations of a light rest coming up to claim him, as he vividly recalled lovely, gunmetal grey eyes widening upon seeing his face for the first time whence the espada had turned his head towards that beautiful, long-haired man.

Pale, creamy features were completely enhanced by the dark, midnight-colored locks of silken hair that were strewn across half of his face while the length of which curled around his shoulders; even that man's stance whilst holding his sword to his neck had spoken of deceptive strength and grace, everything that Grimmjow knew was there within such a gorgeous person.

Grimmjow had purposefully dared to seek out those frigid but tempting features once more before having been made to leave that captain's meeting room, and had been instantly pleased to find that that man had been looking his way the whole time.

Grimmjow's smirk only widened across his tanned features before the espada licked the front of his teeth and around the roof of his mouth, wetting his uncomfortably dry cavern, before finally letting a recuperative sleep overtake his exhausted form; the question of whether or not he would ever get to see such angelic features again dancing lightly inside of his mind all the while.

_Author's Note_: Yay! My first Grimm fic lives!! Yes. So much for my alleged DOGS story, but whatever – this one has been driving me crazy lately. Leave your reviews at the door and have a super special awesome day. XD


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Eight days later...

The large, rotund lieutenant of squad two, Marechiyo Omaeda, approached the last cell down the appropriate prison block with an arm wrapped around a brown, paper sack filled with cookies which the seated officer was munching on in an overly-casual manner.

The gold-wearing lieutenant stopped his steps upon reaching his destination as it was his turn in the squad rotation to personally watch over their captive, as the fat male peered into the semi-darkened jail cell and cast his squinting eyes upon the lone figure doing push-ups in the center of the floor.

Tiny, clear droplets of sweat trailed in squirming patterns down Grimmjow's tanned, healed face until they unceremoniously fell from his chiseled features as he used a single, well-muscled arm to push his weight up from the floor, the espada clearly not having anything better to do during his solitary time spent in the small confinement.

"What's going on, _espada_?" Lieutenant Omaeda spoke condescendingly, a crumbly smile splitting his round face as he watched Grimmjow perform one, final push-up before shifting his legs underneath his body and sitting flat on the floor facing his way.

Grimmjow rolled his vibrant blue eyes at the overweight officer before replying.

"What does it look like, dumbass?" Jeagerjaques answered his watcher's annoying question with one of his own as he brought the back of his wrist to his chin to idly swipe at the few drops of sweat that had been on their way to rain down from his skin onto his lap.

"Hey! What did you say?!"Omaeda boomed stubbornly, his paper sack of sweets crinkling slightly inside of his hold on it as the espada's comment had obviously ruffled his feathers.

"Look, I've been meaning to ask you..."Grimmjow tried again, purposefully making his words sound careful and calm, as he continued, "...whenever you're around, you always have snacks. So, I was wondering...if I could have one."

The lieutenant of squad two blinked at the seated blue-haired male for a second before cracking a wide smile and laughing heartily at the espada's unforeseeable request, admittedly having not been ready to hear that Grimmjow only wanted one of his cookies.

"I really shouldn't...but..."Omaeda began in a teasing, drawled-out manner before thrusting his hand back inside his brown bag and fishing out one of his humongous cookies, "...here."

Grimmjow pushed himself off from floor, getting to his feet with feline grace and extraordinary power as he strode across the small distance to the barred wall of his cell to where the obese soul reaper was extending out the sugary treat for him.

Blue eyes narrowed as the crafty espada used his alleged captive's lowered guard to hastily snatch his wrist in an iron grip, the cookie that had been in Omaeda's hand smashing tragically to the floor, as Grimmjow yanked the lieutenant forward with a violent pull on his arm.

The lieutenant of squad two slammed into the sturdy, metal bars of the front of the cell with an 'oof' escaping him as Grimmjow kept his tanned fingers wrapped tightly around the other male's wrist, preventing him from moving away whilst the espada spoke to him.

"W-what are you..."Lieutenant Omeada tried to voice despite his face being pressed up against a few of the chilly, solid bars before him, but was interrupted as Grimmjow cut him off with sharp, rageful words.

"Shut up! You are going to let me out of here! Open this goddamn door right now and..."Grimmjow had tried to declare as well before feeling a fist connect solidly to his abdomen, forcing him back a couple of steps as the blue-haired male lost his grip on the lieutenant's wrist.

"Guards!" Lieutenant Omeada roared angrily as he nursed his swollen wrists, immediately being joined by a number of the shrouded Stealth Force members who were already moving inside of the jail cell now that they have witnessed Marechiyo's injury.

Grimmjow smiled wildly as he watched four, black-dressed men approach him with wide, defensive stances and a hand trailing to each of their short swords along their back, as the Jeagerjaques male also gave his neck a few cracks, more than eager to begin this fight and burn off some steam.

Highly-advanced fighting skills all but controlling his senses, with the subtle clicks and slides of the Stealth Force men slowly unsheathing their swords, Grimmjow was able to hear how the man to his immediate left had been the first to draw, but it was the man on the far right of him who was approaching at the quickest rate.

"...heh," Grimmjow voiced softly as his brilliant but feral-looking smile grew in anticipation.

Suddenly, in a flash of barely-noticeable movements, Grimmjow had leapt in a sideways motion so that he could use a hand to fluidly stop the sword arm of the aforementioned person on his left while kicking a white-clad leg out hard towards the man on his right, connecting firmly to the man's chest.

"Ha!"Grimmjow jeered tauntingly as he used his air-borne momentum to twist his body around the remaining, untouched assailants as he swiftly got behind them and hurriedly crouched his body down low.

The sexta espada had already foreseen, almost as clearly as he could view the events happening to him then, that the second man to his left would be the first to recover from his initial attack since he had been the slowest one to approach, and would try to take out him quickly with a blow to his head or torso.

The Stealth Force male's sword whooshed over Grimmjow's head, making some of his unruly blue locks of hair move from the force of the attempted attack, as the espada cackled menacingly while slamming his fist harshly into that man's abdomen with a sickening crunch that rang in everyone's ears.

"Agh!!" the black-clad man bellowed in absolute agony, some of his ribs having been broken underneath the raw strength of the powerful but severely limited espada before them, the sight of Grimmjow's fiery blue eyes the last thing he saw before plummeting to the floor to writhe in his own pain.

Jeagerjaques was already on the move towards the nearest foe, his mind unable to come up with any additional strategies for attack and counterattack, as the tanned male was far too caught up in just the savage heat of the reckless battle inside his cell where he could not use any of his powers, only the solid, unforgiving strength of his blows.

However, as Jeagerjaques righted his body and threw an expertly-executed roundhouse kick to one of the men, said person used both of his arms to stop Grimmjow's shin from colliding with his head, but then quickly snapped his hands down upon the long limb of the enemy to hold him in place.

"What?!" Grimmjow growled venomously as he had lost sight of the remaining two assailants, having not seen them use flash step to flank him while he had been temporarily seized.

One man suddenly grabbed each of Grimmjow's arms, and, almost as if on cue, all three of the remaining Stealth Force members, tackled the furious espada down onto the cool flooring, making his hard, well-honed body slam upon the resilient surface as the smaller, masked men held fast onto his limbs and settled their weight down on his back to pin him in place.

"Shit...get...get the fuck off of me...!" Grimmjow howled at his team of attackers as he was able to see from his spot on the floor as the man whom he had injured straight away was staggering to his feet in front of him.

"Son of a bitch..."the injured male voiced quietly to his comrades, wheezing a bit as he had an arm wrapped around his mid-section to, perhaps, keep his shatter ribs from moving about too much.

"Are you alright?" the man holding onto Grimmjow's left arm asked his pained comrade who was making his way over to him.

"Ugh...not really. This guy's a freak," he replied evilly, all of the speakers out of Grimmjow's line of sight now as he kept his sharp teeth grit and tried to ignore what they were saying about him.

"Then, break his damn hand and get some revenge," the uninjured Stealth Force member demanded of his comrade more than offered, and Grimmjow could feel that man quickly grasp at some of his outstretched fingers.

"Fucking hell...let me go, you sick fucks...let me...agh!" Grimmjow attempted to lash out verbally to the four men pinning him down and securing his limbs, but had to stifle his own choked cry of pain through his angrily grit teeth as he felt his middle finger on his left hand get pushed back beyond its comfortable means until it gave way under the constant pressure and snapped.

"Ah...that felt good," the one, Stealth member said sinisterly to his other teammates, being the one who had broken one of Grimmjow's fingers, and was now sliding his hand over to the blue-haired male's index finger.

"...shit..."Grimmjow prepared himself for another small but horrifying break as he felt the man's hand begin to close over his first finger the same way they had over his now broken middle one.

"Gentlemen..." a calm, soothing voice suddenly addressed them all from beyond the metal-barred wall as the man had obviously witnessed the foul play going on inside the jail cell, "this is hardly appropriate behavior. I'm afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave."

Upon hearing such timbered but effortlessly spoken words, all five men inside the small, plain room snapped their attention to Byakuya Kuchiki who was standing seemingly stoically on the outside of the cell, his own eyes closed and his head was lowered as if he was ashamed of the whole situation and could not bear to look upon it any longer.

"Captain Kuchiki!" one of the Stealth Force members said, his words prompting the rest of them to release Grimmjow from their dastardly hold on him, as they all stood up straight facing the noble, bowed respectfully, and then flash stepped out of the cell.

Grimmjow scoffed to himself as he cautiously made to stand up from the floor, feeling his ever-present frustration start to simmer within as he still wanted in inflict some damage upon those men who had ambushed him, keeping his gaze cast to a side and not on the noble's serene, lovely face as he did so.

"Let me see your hand," Byakuya said simply, intrigued straight away when Grimmjow immediately directed his surprised, confused blue gaze into his eyes upon hearing such a considerate command, the espada's uninjured hand unconsciously cradling his other as he stood up to his full height.

"What?" Grimmjow voiced more than asked seriously as he hesitated with complying to such a request, even if it had come from such a beautiful, familiar person, as he had already been attacked once that day did not particularly want another one of his fingers, or worse, being broken.

"Come here,"the Kuchiki noble restated patiently, knowing in a very basic sense that one needed to gain the trust of an animal before they obeyed orders and warmed up to their master.

Blue eyes narrowed slightly at the man's direct words to him, caution and blatant uncertainty being the prominent emotions swirling inside the sapphire pools, as Grimmjow took slow, measured steps towards the metal bars where Kuchiki stood on the opposite side, watching the raven-haired man just as the raven-haired man was watching him.

Long, elegant eyelashes nearly touched down upon Byakuya's pale cheeks as the noble could not help but lower his steely gaze down Grimmjow's athletic, strapping body and then slowly bring it back up again, taking his time to scrupulously observe every, sculpt inch of the tanned, white-clad espada as he made his way over to him, the latter ultimately obeying the Kuchiki's words which secretly pleased the soul reaper to no end.

"_...perfection,"_the sixth squad captain caught himself thinking as his mind threatened to slip further into his world-numbing trance of studying such a fascinating, attractive creature who was adhering to his commands and miraculously doing what he asked of him, nearly prompting Byakuya to read even more into such an implication before the noble hurriedly righted his thoughts now that Grimmjow was only a few inches away from him.

Grimmjow sighed softly through his nose as he finally approached the icy Kuchiki noble and obstinately placed his injured hand on top of the metal rod that ran horizontally across the many, thick vertical ones, which was about at waist-level with the rugged espada, for both men to view in proper lighting and proximity.

The middle knuckle to the tip of the blue-haired male's middle finger was jutting out at an unnatural, awkward-looking angle; two sets of half-lidded eyes looking down upon the tanned but injured appendage as Byakuya brought both of his paler, partially-gloved hands up to the espada's larger one, the latter's movements were kept mindful and gentle even though the Kuchiki was honestly quite nervous that the headstrong man was acting so obedient and allowing him to touch him.

The sixth squad captain flickered up his somber, grey gaze up to Grimmjow's handsome face, so very close to his own even though there were evenly-spaced bars in between their bodies and the arrancar was still watching Byakuya's every ministration with his hands, as the noble briefly slid a few of his fingertips over Grimmjow's broken finger, determining exactly where the break was located.

The Jeagerjaques male winced silently as his discomfort only came in the form of his teal-marked face flinching slightly as Byakuya trailed his fingers over the exact place where the tiny bones were no longer joined, letting the Kuchiki know where he needed to tend to as Byakuya quickly snapped his gaze down to see the area his searching fingers had just passed.

"This might hurt a bit," the raven-haired man informed the delightfully cooperative and tame Grimmjow as the blue-eyed male was a second away from making a cheeky remark but ended up only a making a small groan of pain in his throat as he felt the paler, slightly shorter man before him deliver a quick, precise bend to his finger which brought the slender bones back in place so they may begin to mend.

Pleased with how well the unruly espada was acting around him, especially in light of how said man had just been involved in a rather barbaric fight with members of the mysterious Stealth Force but was showing absolutely no malice towards him personally, Byakuya unknowingly kept his fingers on top of Grimmjow's hand and watched with intent, ash-colored eyes as the Jeagerjaques closed his eyes in a tired, relieved fashion and rested his forehead against one of the rounded, metal bars in between them, the whole act appearing woeful, perhaps even depressed.

"I should have someone wrap that for you," Byakuya commented in his usual, timbered voice as he realized that he was still touching the seemingly brooding espada, his words prompting the blue-haired man to open his eyes and quirk up an inquisitive eyebrow at the soul reaper captain, the raven-haired man's additional words of evident regard to his well-being continuing to act as a surprise to the blue-haired male.

"Heh...don't bother..."Grimmjow wrote off with a much bigger, darker point to be made by the tone of his cynical voice as he retracted his hand from the surface of the prison bar, pulling it out of Byakuya's feather-light grasp, and took a few steps back into his own cell, "...have you heard where they're sending me tomorrow?"

Byakuya Kuchiki blinked at the question, mentally affirming that he, in fact, did not know such information as it had not been brought up in any more captains' meetings.

The raven-haired male gracefully shook his head to indicate the negative, half-lidded, somber eyes still watching the white-clad man with impossible fervor as Grimmjow smirked almost in self-pity before he replied with the answer.

"They're sending me to squad twelve...and I've been hearing some nasty rumors about how that captain is a complete nut-job and is probably going to take me apart piece by piece on a metal slab or something..."Grimmjow explained vulgarly but with some eerie truth to his words as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his hakama, tilting his sky-blue head to a side as he watched Byakuya's face closely for any reactions, "...so, thanks, but no thanks; it'd be pointless to worry about a stupid broken finger now."

Truth be told, Byakuya's heart had dropped when he had heard that Grimmjow was to be sent to the twelfth squad, where, no doubt, Captain Kurotsuchi would not take the fact lightly that he had an espada to poke and prod at by means of his Department of Research and Development.

"I see..."Captain Kuchiki said with unhidden disappointment and a tiny sliver of fear lacing his tone as he lowered his gaze to the dark flooring of the jail cell in between them, his mind struggling with the many, grappling worries that he could instantly foresee with such a set-up while still trying to draw an unthinking blankness where he would just not be inwardly affected.

"What's your name?" Grimmjow suddenly asked the Kuchiki noble, his words astoundingly cool and effortlessly calm despite their topic of conversation and the swarm of confusing thoughts Byakuya had been stricken with as a result.

Gunmetal grey eyes looked back up to silently awaiting blue, Grimmjow boring his striking depths into the soul reaper's pleasant features, as he maintained his casual stance with his hands neutrally in his pockets, perhaps as a way of showing that he meant no ill-will or harm to his lovely company.

"I am the captain of squad six, Captain Kuchiki," the raven responded in an automatic, somewhat guarded tone, as he could not help but feel impossibly taken by Grimmjow's piercing gaze that went far passed his own eyes as well as his commanding, handsome presence – such revelations making the Kuchiki male consider the possibility that even though the espada was the one in the jail cell, he, in fact, was the one imprisoned.

"No, no...I don't care about all that stuff. I meant what's your first name?"Grimmjow spoke evenly, patiently as the blue-haired male took his opportunity of having to rephrase his question to stride back over to his previous spot of being directly in front of the pale, angelic-looking male.

It had taken Grimmjow little to no time at all before he was standing mere inches away from Byakuya again, gracing the latter with another highly-personal view of his deliciously toned abdomen and chest as the Kuchiki realized with some small degree of internal panic that he was blatantly staring at how much bulkier and taller the blue-haired male truly was than him, and that if he concentrated just hard enough, he could probably be able to identify the espada's unique, alluring scent that laced his tanned flesh.

Byakuya parted his lips but no sound came out at first as he could only watch how Jeagerjaques' eyes were boring heavily into his own perfectly-contoured, creamy features, the latter demanding an answer with the sultry glare in his cerulean eyes and the cocky tilt of his head as he intricately observed how the raven-haired male hesitated before him.

"Byakuya," the raven answered at last, the syllables spoken quietly, intimately, only meant for Grimmjow to hear, as the Kuchiki was immediately satisfied when he saw Grimmjow blink his eyes down as if in gracious thought as a devilishly handsome smirk pulled at a corner of his full, tempting lips.

"Well, Byakuya Kuchiki, be sure to visit me again sometime," the sixth espada concluded smartly before turning back around and walking further into his cell, thereby ending their increasingly tense conversation and moment of simply being so close to one another that it threatened to become something neither man was ready for, should neither of them had attempted to move away.

Byakuya could have sighed out in extreme relief now that he was no longer face-to-face with such a bewitching eye-color which was only brought out even more so by the bronzed hue of his skin and the strange but not unappealing teal designs around them, as he watched Grimmjow clasp his hands together behind his white-clad but partially exposed back and give his arms and shoulders a good stretch.

Grimmjow's broken finger still looked swollen and the Kuchiki noble knew that it had to be bringing him pain, but the raven only closed his grave eyes before saying, "I shall take my leave, then."

Facing the tiny window that had been carved out of the farthest cement wall, Grimmjow had heard Byakuya's parting words as clearly as the latter's softly falling footsteps down the corridor, and could not help but notice the faintest traces of displeasure and discontent that had been present in the noble's fair tone; the realization somewhat baffling the standing espada as he kept his gaze directed out to the darkened, nighttime sky of the Soul Society.

With a more velvety, cobalt tint gracing the inky evening skies, Grimmjow became pleasantly cognizant of the fact that nights here in the Soul Society were not similar to those back in Hueco Mundo.

They were far more beautiful, more elegant and surreal-looking, not the flat, unmoving skies the color of charcoal that always reigned over the desolate land no matter what.

Here, it was like the skies could feel things, experience emotions and conflict, just like the rest of the people underneath it.

"...really beautiful name..."Grimmjow murmured quietly to himself, recalling the solemn but gloriously unnerving moment where he had asked the stunning, raven-haired soul reaper for his name, and he had replied with the most exquisite word Jeagerjaques had ever head.

Grimmjow sighed tiredly before turning away from the small window, knowing that he needed to try to get at least a few, solid hours of sleep before his transfer took place the following day, the espada not dreading the prospective idea as much as he imagined a normal person might in his situation, as the man with vibrant, light-blue hair honestly felt little anxiety about the possibility that he may meet his death in a short while.

_Author's Note_: Uh-oh. Stay tuned for Grimmjow's most unfortunate time-skip to the squad twelve scenes lol. XD Drop me a line and tell me what you think, yeah? Chapter three is baking in the oven.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Thirteen days later...

"_It's almost been two weeks since I've seen him,"_ Byakuya Kuchiki mentally informed himself, his own words inside his head filled with burdening guilt, sluggish with his growing depression,_"...he's been at the squad twelve facilities...I just...want to see him."_

The admittedly downhearted Kuchiki male was seated as his impressive, wooden desk where semi-tall stacks of documents were kept neatly arranged for his working efficiency, even in spite of how his paintbrush halted time and time again over his white forms whilst he thought more about a specific, blue-eyed person.

"Sir? Uh...Captain Kuchiki, sir?" a voice asked hesitantly from somewhere towards the noble's right, the stammered, unsure words being totally lost on the thought-dwelling, older male in the squad six offices as the raven did not even bother shifting his eyes in the aforementioned direction, as if the noble had not even heard what had just been said to him.

"_I can't help but wonder how he's doing...or if he's even still alive..."_Byakuya continued to ponder gloomily, closing his half-lidded eyes under the weight of his most saddening concern about the handsome espada who only seemed to behave and act calmly around solely him, as the raven simultaneously lowered his paintbrush so that his writing wrist rested comfortably on the surface of his desk.

"Captain Byakuya Kuchiki!!!"Renji Abarai hollered from across the room, the red-haired male being at his own respective desk to complete his own work quota for the day, but was standing up from his chair as he shouted to get his captain's drifting attention.

Blinking a few times to clear his head and regain his bearings, Byakuya turned his head towards his yelling subordinate who had a light blush staining his cheeks since he had, in fact, just screamed like a child at his captain of noble birth and now was subject to those piercing, steely eyes.

"Yes, Renji? What is it?" the captain of squad six tried to ask the heavily tattooed soul reaper with his usual calm nature as he cast his seemingly bored or uncaring, stone-colored gaze his way, noticing how Abarai was beginning to regret pulling his captain from his thoughts as his body language spoke of evident, utter panic and discomfort.

"Well, it's just...you were kind of...you know...spacing out, and I was just wondering if everything was okay..." Renji Abarai positively stumbled through asking his intimidating superior something remotely personal as the younger of the two tried to offer a hopeful smile even though Byakuya's icy stare just seemed to cut right through his attempt with a dull blade.

"I am perfectly fine, Lieutenant Abarai. Get back to your duties," the captain of squad six answered his frantic employee with curt, even words, instantly making the red-haired man sit back down in his seat and pick up his paintbrush to resume working, Renji's tattooed brows furrowed as he was still a bit worried about such a typically stoic, determined person.

Renji knew without a shadow of a doubt that if something was able to keep the most dedicated soul reaper he knew from completing his work and concentrating, then that _something_ had to be a very important something to the esteemed noble, and the fact that Byakuya had responded so plainly to the Abarai's shaky question also meant that the Kuchiki male felt he had to guard whatever that _something_ was.

Satisfied that his loyal but oftentimes difficult subordinate was back doing his tasks, Byakuya directed his half-lidded gaze back over the small, white forms before him as well, barely even able to read what he had just wrote on them, however, as the the Kuchiki merely let his eyes travel the paper while his mind betrayed him again and wandered.

Byakuya sighed solemnly, greatly disliking how forsaken he felt, hating how Jeagerjaques must have felt that exact, same way ever since being shipped off to squad twelve for some sinister reason that had occasionally kept the dark-haired noble from sleeping solidly a few nights; despising how there was nothing he could do...

"_Wait a minute...Renji was in the World of the Living at the time of...that's it!"_ Byakuya internally congratulated himself as his mental lamenting over one, single person for an extended period of time had finally allowed him to piece together a particular strategy of information that he needed to voice straight away to the right persons.

"I'm going out for a while. Stay here to finish your work and receive any visitors," Byakuya suddenly informed his lieutenant in a no-nonsense voice that made Renji hurriedly snap his fire-red head up from looming over his documents to seek his captain out as the latter stood up gracefully from his chair and proceeded to walk out of the simply-decorated squad offices.

"Oh...uh...okay, erm, I mean yes, Captain Kuchiki! I hope you feel better soon!" Renji called out after his departing superior enthusiastically, the Kuchiki male already figuring that Abarai would probably think he was only going for a walk or something to clear his mind, but no...Byakuya had far more important matters to tend to, and he knew he needed a proper amount of time to do them.

X

"What brings you here to see me, Captain Kuchiki?" Head Captain Yamamoto asked the striking, unperturbed noble standing solely before him inside the spacious squad one meeting room where the old man sat at his usual place at the forefront.

"It's about Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, the espada that was recently captured;" the raven-haired male began effortlessly, as if he was commenting about the weather to his much older superior, "has he disclosed any information about Sosuke Aizen as of yet?"

"I'm afraid not. Thus far, he has resisted all of our means of gaining information from him," the bearded soul reaper explained to the powerful captain dutifully, unmoving and even more fixed than the famous Kuchiki before him as he continued, "...we have kept him in solitary confinement within the squad two prison, we have had a special team keep him sedated, but, so far, he has given us nothing."

"I see," Byakuya replied, his exterior remaining as expressionless as ever so that he would reveal nothing, but, inside, the Kuchiki was already fathoming that this 'special team' consisted of Captain Kurutsuchi and his twisted menagerie of subordinates who were all notorious for creating complicated drugs and using them on test subjects.

"For what reason do you ask, Captain Kuchiki?" the elder soul reaper threw a relatively fair question back at the inquiring noble, as Byakuya schooled his features even more before answering it.

"It has come to my attention that Renji Abarai of squad six had been in the World of the Living during the same time that Grimmjow Jeagerjaques and a number of other arrancars had been there," Byakuya began simply, his plan for delivering his ideas in full as mapped out inside his head as any battle strategy that he had had to execute.

"Lieutenant Abarai has knowledge of this particular espada's characteristics and habits, and I believe we may be able to use this to our advantage in order to retrieve the information we seek," the raven finished flawlessly, his seriousness having been unwavering and solid throughout the whole time he had, more or less, lied to the head captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

"Ah...you may have a point, Captain Kuchiki. If Lieutenant Abarai has met this espada in the past, then it might be that he shall know how to get him to speak to us," Head Captain Yamamoto agreed thoughtfully with Kuchiki's words, the revelation making the man with stony, grey eyes all but collapse to the floor from feeling so relieved and grateful that his arrangement was working perfectly.

"That is what I believe, yes," Byakuya Kuchiki added for good measure as he watched the old man nod once in stern affirmation before ending their brief conversation which the noble had been practically sweating through the entire time.

"Do what needs to be done, Captain Kuchiki, but I have one condition," the elder soul reaper granted Byakuya the permission he had sought but with a heart-stopping mention of a catch to the Kuchiki's plans, instantly making a tiny pang of worry occur in the raven's chest even though his every mannerism remained guarded and silent in the face of his superior.

"Grimmjow Jeagerjaques must give us solid information about Sosuke Aizen or his plans in two weeks' time or else we will have to terminate the espada for failure to comply," Head Captain Yamamoto declared forcefully, opening his aged, oak-colored eyes slightly at his younger subordinate who did well not to show his utter, internal dismay at such a grave ultimatum with which he knew he could not argue.

"I understand," Byakuya managed to say believably before bowing deeply in respect to his superior, and then hurriedly flash-stepping out of the room and down the vast, wooden-planked corridor.

X

Meanwhile...

"My, my, my...this will never do..."a sickeningly chipper but strange-sounding voice chimed in cruel glee as the owner turned his head towards his quiet, female subordinate, "...Nemu, bring forth another dose...the last one we gave him is wearing off already."

Grimmjow coughed lightly, his fuzzy and half-functioning senses starting to come back to him about how his primary captor was still standing right in front of him and waving a hand flamboyantly at his female lieutenant while she rummaged through the many objects adorning the top of the small, metal tray beside her.

Despite the last twelve days having sort of blurred together for the espada, Grimmjow could still remember how, upon his arrival to the Department of Research and Development, Captain Kurotsuchi had voiced strongly about how he was 'too rare a specimen to be viewed by common eyes and tested with common tools,' and he had been down in the lower, restricted levels of the facilities ever since.

Since that instance, Grimmjow's mind had not been his own, as he was constantly being drugged and medicated with different kinds of things that would make his muscles burn inside his body, his stomach churn and growl with the need to empty its contents, and his basic abilities to hear and see properly completely leave him for long, excruciating hours; sometimes while he was lying flat on a chilly, operating table, but specifically now, as he was standing upright with his arms chained above his head.

His light-blue locks hung heavily down around his face and temples, as Grimmjow kept his head bowed, facing the ice-cold, stone floor below, too tired from consecutive days of not getting any rest to even try to focus his weighty, barely-open eyes, as the actions going on around him went totally lost on him.

Nemu had dutifully handed over another syringe filled with an eerie, yellow liquid to her superior and creator, Captain Kurotsuchi, who took it from her forcefully, before turning his avid attention back on the somewhat conscious and shackled espada.

"There we are now...this should do the trick!" the white-and black-faced captain exclaimed merrily as he quickly jammed the needle into the side of Grimmjow's neck and watched with intent, golden eyes as the espada contorted his beautiful features into overwhelming pain as the fluid rushed into his veins.

"By this time tomorrow, you'll be practically begging at my feet to serve my every wish and demand, my dear espada! How nice it will be so have someone of your caliber at my disposal, to use however way I please!" the captain of squad twelve prattled on enthusiastically as he set the emptied syringe back down upon the metal tray before bringing up a hand to Grimmjow's lowered chin and forcing the bound man's head up.

Grimmjow winced in searing, spreading pain as he felt the familiar effects of the unnameable drug seep into his system, corrupting his muscles and making them feel like bags of sand within his skin, as his growing fatigue was even more enhanced to the point of insanity-sparking exhaustion; the espada not even aware of Captain Kurotsuchi was holding his chin and marveling closely at his features, still talking to his faithful, female servant about something which he could not clearly decipher.

"We shall need to ready the operating equipment for tomorrow's procedure, Nemu," the captain voiced to his subordinate as he retracted his sheet-white hand from Grimmjow's chin, turning sharply in his place as he continued speaking to her, "...come with me to medical wing where I'll need you to check to make sure if we have the proper supplies on hand."

"Yes, Captain Kurotsuchi," Lieutenant Kurotsuchi voiced listlessly before trailing dutifully after her odd-looking and rather frightening superior the moment he began striding away from Grimmjow's trembling, broken form.

The Jeagerjaques male had only heard bits and pieces of what had been exchanged between the two members of squad twelve, but had lost complete consciousness after hearing the words 'medical' and 'supplies;' his light-blue head dropping once more in between his strained, outstretched arms as his whole body went lax where he stood not by his own volition.

X

A few hours later...

The heavy, metal door that lead inside the dank, dreary torture chambers opened silently, allowing enough room for a lone figure to slip into the darkened room unnoticed and undetected by any of the squad twelve members permitted in such a restricted area.

The eerie quietude of the atmosphere unsettled Byakuya Kuchiki greatly as he somewhat turned around in his spot to carefully close the ajar door before facing the chilly, stone room and immediately spotting the single person located almost on the other end of the ominous place, not moving and having yet to respond to another presence within the same vicinity.

"_Is he...?"_the raven could not help but think at once, a sour, time-stopping panic beginning to bubble inside of his stomach, seeing as how such a loud and vivacious person was not even aware that he had entered the room and closed the door.

Byakuya's keen eyes widened, his full, shapely lips parting and wanting desperately to call out the name of the person whom he knew he was looking at but dared not utter a syllable aloud, as the noble rushed across the blackened space in between them so he may finally be in front of the bound male who had been plaguing his every thought since their impromptu meeting two weeks prior.

This time, upon reaching the unresponsive male, the Kuchiki noble did gasp out loud as his better vision beheld Grimmjow's bared but shivering torso as the espada had his large hands chained somewhat out in front of him and above his head, prompting the comatose man to stagger his weight as he kept his blue head lowered and his back curved in obvious, dreadful fatigue.

Grimmjow's right forearm was loosely wrapped in thick, white bandages where the end of one strand hung freely in the air, his ocean-blue eyes were barely open as the espada breathed in and out at a worrisome, unsteady rhythm.

"_He's alive...he is breathing...and he's alive..."_Kuchiki forced himself to mentally register so that he may try to calm down, push aside any anger trying to build up inside of him and just attempt to remain as clear-headed about the situation as possible.

The raven-haired male briefly licked his drying lips before speaking, the realization dawning on the Kuchiki with relentlessly weight that his every suspicion about what may have been going on down here had just been proven correct as his troubled eyes scanned up and down the Jeagerjaques' abused form with growing concern.

"Grimmjow...it's Captain...it's Byakuya Kuchiki. I've come to get you out of here," Byakuya said quietly but solidly to the trembling, tanned male before him as he carefully reached out a hand to the side of Grimmjow's face, slowly sliding his fingers across the beautiful, smooth flesh there until he was able to cradle the latter's jaw inside his palm, and then gingerly lift the espada's head up so he may properly see his face.

Grimmjow's parted, alluring lips were stained red with blood and one, minute drop of the ruby substance fell from the espada's bottom lip upon having his face tilted up, the liquid splashing audibly onto the stone floor below in between them, as the sexta espada lethargically blinked his unfocused eyes a few times.

"...what did they do to you...?"Captain Kuchiki murmured frustratedly, more to himself than the semi-conscious man before him who was cool to his touch with alarmingly bloodied lips, but hushed up the instant he felt Grimmjow swallow some spit down his throat so they he may try to say something.

"...Bya...kuya...?"Grimmjow whispered the name as a painfully hopeful question, his usual gruffness absolutely gone from his deep voice as he sounded so small, so unsure that it nearly broke the noble's guarded heart as the raven felt his own chest tighten to an uncomfortable degree as he let his fingers holding onto Grimmjow's cheek briefly caress the tanned flesh in apology before retracting his pale hand with lingering touches.

The captain of squad six knew that he had to move fast but also just as silently as he had infiltrated the Research and Development facilities to begin with, for, even though the Kuchiki male knew he had official permission to have custody over the criminal espada, Byakuya knew that that oftentimes meant very little to unruly captain of squad twelve.

Byakuya Kuchiki had known the moment he had left Head Captain Yamamoto's sight that his retrieval of Grimmjow Jeagerjaques needed to be carried out as stealthily as possible to completely bypass any formal or informal declarations that stated otherwise by the strange, experiment-obsessed captain who would most likely see this decree as a personal out-maneuver.

"_Perhaps it is a personal out-maneuver, but clearly for good reason..."_ Byakuya thought darkly regarding Captain Kurotsuchi now that he was looking upon the disoriented and obviously drugged sixth espada who could barely speak solid words and remember faces at the moment.

"I got you, Grimmjow. I'll take care of you," the Kuchiki male spoke reassuringly to the espada before him as he hurriedly pointed a finger towards one of the shackles adorning Grimmjow's wrists and channeling a low-level kido to his outstretched digit, making sure that his angle of fire would not hit the Jeagerjaques' vulnerable arm in any way.

An amazingly small burst of bright, red light shot forth from Byakuya's single finger, quickly obliterating the thick metal that had been wrapped around Grimmjow's wrist, the sudden liberation from his bindings resulting in that side of the tall, blue-haired espada limply falling forward.

"I got you...everything is going to be okay now," Byakuya found himself repeating automatically as the comforting, caring words just seemed to flow out of his mouth regarding the strong, powerful espada now being hugged tightly by the stoic, raven-haired noble upon the latter catching him in his arms.

Another tiny beam of the red-hued kido erupted from Byakuya's finger at Grimmjow's second shackle around his other wrist, and then the pale man with enchanting, steel eyes was completely supporting Grimmjow's unconscious, half-bared frame, the Kuchiki's slender arms wrapping around the sexta espada's wide, tattooed back to hold him upright as the raven felt small, warm puffs of air hitting the side of his neck every time Grimmjow breathed so closely to him.

Shifting the blue-haired man's stature a bit so that he had an arm draped across Byakuya's shoulders and the noble could hold onto Grimmjow's side to guide him, Byakuya took a deep, calming breath, before concentrating his spirit energy down to indistinguishable levels and then made to flash-step them both out of that hellish room once and for all.

A sharp left was made out of the darkened chambers, towards a bright, white corridor that Byakuya knew would not occupied by many, followed by a knowing right turn that led them passed a few, private offices of researchers, before they reached a short flight of stairs that would bring them to a nearby doorway to exit from; all of their movements mere blurs of black and white tints that swept effortlessly by such enclosed surroundings as the veteran soul reaper captain maintained a constant, blinding speed that had the pair of them immersed in the renewing, crisp nighttime air before most people could blink twice.

Also with the knowledge that the forefront of the Department of Research and Development was usually populated with multiple guards by the gate, the Kuchiki heir chose to leap high onto the roof of the gigantic, main facility and head towards the opposite direction with his precious cargo in tow, avoiding all possible eyes and ways for them to be spotted whilst they fled from the designated, squad twelve area and towards the rest of the white-painted buildings that spanned out across the district.

Proud of what he had just accomplished safety and efficiently, having successfully accessed the Department of Research and Development, located and freed the sexta espada whom he now could feel pressed up against his own body this very second, Byakuya Kuchiki's heart raced wildly inside his chest, bringing him elating adrenaline that provided an agreeable edge to his overall excitement about how he was now sprinting off into the ever-darkening night with none other than Grimmjow Jeagerjaques reliant and by his side.

While the Kuchiki male was no stranger when it came to rescuing people from treacherous circumstances, the raven had never known such riddling satisfaction to envelope him upon performing said task before, as he mindlessly tightened his grip along Grimmjow's supporting arm and around his waist in a wholly possessive and protective manner, his feet continuing to propel the both of them from rooftop to rooftop in seamless, effortless maneuvers that defied most laws of physics, in a direction that the noble male knew all too well.

"_I'll take you somewhere safe," _Byakuya thought to himself rather than voicing aloud to the compromised enemy captive beside him as the Kuchiki could not help but steal a longing glance to Grimmjow's profile whilst they flew through the navy-blue skies of the early evening, such a darker shade of the surrounding, cobalt color that contrasted enticingly so with the much brighter, much more alive shade of the slumbering espada's hair and personality.

In spite of how Byakuya knew full-well that Grimmjow's pleasant expression was due in large part to the fact that he had been recently subject to a magnitude of experimental concoctions and drugs, thereby robbing him of proper sleep and delivering him unimaginable pain at times, the Kuchiki could not help but think that the blue-eyed male currently leaning on his own frame for support whilst they closed in on their destination, looked charmingly peaceful right now.

_Author's Note_: fufufu. I have no shame; what can I say... XD Drop me a line and let me know what you think, yes? Yes!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

_I'll take you somewhere safe..._

Byakuya Kuchiki halted his steps at last on the solid, dusty ground, his white, captain's haori swishing sharply from the sudden cease to his momentum, as the raven took a small moment to steady his rapid heartbeat from running so fast for so long, as he held his head up high and looked over the impressive but shadow-laden Kuchiki manor with swelling pride.

The partially-visible sliver of the silvery moon overhead cascaded a lovely glow that touched over any and everything subject to the bleak, quiet night, as not even subtle breezes pushed past the two men standing alone at the main entrance of the esteemed, noble house, while all simply remained silent, surreal, and motionless.

Steel-colored eyes snapped down the moment Byakuya felt Grimmjow groan lightly in his throat, the latter's brow furrowing as the espada was obviously coming to his groggy senses, before the Kuchiki's searching stare was finally graced with the sight of intoxicating blue peeking open despite Grimmjow's exhaustion and disorientation.

"Where...the hell are we?" Grimmjow asked the raven-haired man holding him upright with slurred, grumbled words as the Jeagerjaques directed his half-lidded gaze towards the expansive, expensive property before him with disbelieving, struggling eyes.

Byakuya allowed a small, pleased smirk to grace his pale, full lips as he watched Grimmjow scan his eyes across the many rises and shapes of his manor, coupled with how amusing the espada's murmured question to him had been, before the Kuchiki heir reaffirmed his hold on the slumping blue-haired male prior to offering a reply.

"Come on," Byakuya said simply, not wishing to state in so many words that he had, effectively, brought the enemy arrancar to his own house so he may tend to his well-being and watch over him on his own time and leisure.

Byakuya took his time escorting the injured espada into his home from the paved walkway, knowing that at such a late hour, not too many of the servants would still be awake, as he showed Grimmjow into main entrance, not caring to turn on any of the lights as he easily navigated them into the front foyer and away from the inky, night scenery.

Familiar with exactly which turns and veers to make throughout the spacious residence, Byakuya led his exhausted companion towards the eastern end of the manor, bypassing a dimly-illuminated kitchen and sitting area in favor of heading straight towards his own master bathroom, Byakuya able to tell that Grimmjow was beginning to slouch even more against his own form as the espada evidently craved to lie down and finally experience some comfort to his weary body.

Upon reaching Byakuya's personal bathroom, the Kuchiki did turn the lights on inside this room, however, shining brilliant light onto the sand-colored walls, bright white trim, and wooden accents that made up the large, perfectly maintained washroom where he knew he would need to quickly take a look at Grimmjow's overall condition.

Utilizing a small burst of revitalized strength, the raven hoisted the espada onto the long, granite counter top next to the sink so he may be allowed to sit down while Byakuya began his work, the Kuchiki well-aware of the fact that the Jeagerjaques male was in he greatest need of some recuperative sleep versus anything else, thereby meaning that the noble needed to simply prepare the blue-haired male for only that at the moment.

Quickly stepping to a side and retrieving a small, white washcloth from a golden towel rack on the adjacent wall, Byakuya addressed an immediate concern of his as he brought the soft material to Grimmjow's lips, dabbing the washcloth to the espada's tempting, slightly parted mouth as he cleansed away the drying blood.

The sexta espada's eyes were closed again, Grimmjow's breathing finally showing signs of normalcy from perhaps moving around as he had and getting his blood flowing regularly again within his body, as he was obviously asleep where he sat before the ever-attentive and determined Captain Kuchiki, bright blue bangs hanging in front of his teal-bordered eyes and the straight bridge of his nose.

Metallic, grey eyes softened dramatically at the sight of the desperately slumbering espada as Byakuya finished running the corners of the now crimson stained washcloth across Grimmjow's lips and set the item aside on the counter top, ready to continue on with his tending to the handsome male before him.

Kuchiki picked up a much larger towel from a separate rack this time, the item as soft as fresh-picked cotton in his pale hands, as the noble brought the item to Grimmjow's exposed chest, carefully swiping the fluffy, white towel across the solid, chiseled planes of hard muscle there as he made to quickly clean the blue-haired male of any sweat and grime.

Carefully but still with knowing haste in his actions, Byakuya ran the towel down one of Grimmjow's well-muscled arms, making the many dips and folds of the material trace over all of the espada's toned flesh as Byakuya made to bring the towel back up the unresponsive appendage as the blue-haired male continued to sleep on top of the bathroom counter with his arms casually resting over his clothed lap.

Byakuya swallowed hard, feeling his own tiredness start to nudge its way into his senses that had only just recently been subject to very close intervals between insatiable exhilaration and solemn, tediousness, the abrupt change proving to be quiet staggering in its affects on the soul reaper, as he folded the large, white towel over and brought the fresh side to Grimmjow's other, partially wrapped arm.

"_...I need to reach his back, and then I should take a look underneath those bandages..."_Byakuya thought to himself concerning his enemy charge before cautiously extending out a partially gloved hand and sliding his fingers along the back of Grimmjow's neck, the noble's digits being grazed by silken locks of short, blue hair as he used his light leverage on the unconscious male to gently pull him forward

Kuchiki took a small, mindful step closer to his seated, personified interest as he simultaneously pulled Grimmjow towards him, making the sleeping blue-haired man rest his head and chest against his own standing, attentive frame whilst he worked, the raven, however, finding himself unable to move straight away and continue his task like his mind was practically shouting at him to do, as he simply took a moment to savor exactly how those messy, blue locks looked from overhead, coupled with how the espada's exquisite body felt lightly pressed against his own.

"_Hurry up, Kuchiki...he needs proper rest...and so do you,"_ the raven-haired male mentally scolded himself once more upon finally realizing that he was blatantly hesitating, almost as if in waiting for something to happen...or for nothing to happen at all.

Using both hands now that the sexta espada was leaning against him, as the side of Grimmjow's tanned, peaceful-looking face was nestled safely against Byakuya's chest, the noble flung the towel around the Jeagerjaques' large, curved form and easily scrubbed at his shoulders and down his back, working his way down that athletic frame until the raven gasped quietly to himself upon realizing a certain phenomena.

Byakuya had unconsciously brought the soft material of his washroom towel over Grimmjow's Hollow hole, the sudden lack of solid, sturdy flesh somewhat surprising the stoic sixth squad captain as he quickly righted his movements and forced himself not to dwell on such a intriguing circumstance.

"Mmn..."the espada groaned softly in his sleep, rendering every one of Byakuya's movements to come to a strict halt, as the Kuchiki paid intricate attention to how Grimmjow only took a second to make one, small adjustment to how his head was resting against Byakuya's own body before all was silent and still once more.

Byakuya Kuchiki quietly let out the air that he had been unconsciously holding upon noticing Grimmjow go completely still once more, the noble continuing to be extremely meticulous that his movements did not rouse the resting male any further, as he collected the used towel into a hand and then promptly dropped it onto the plainly tiled floor to be picked up at a later time.

Feeling more than a little guilty about such an action, Byakuya replaced a hand to the back of Grimmjow's neck, as he slowly ushered the deadly espada away from his body, so much so that the blue-haired male was leaning his back against the bathroom wall next to the large, golden-framed mirror that hung above the sink on their right, giving the Kuchiki a spectacular view of Grimmjow's tanned, god-like build as he was made to sit back rather far and in an appealing, casual manner.

Tearing his stone-colored gaze away from the reclining male whose posture was an invitation in itself, Byakuya forced himself over to a small, wooden drawer located beneath the white, porcelain sink, and deftly retrieved a roll of gauze.

In spite of honestly feeling a bit anxious that his tasks were nearing completion, Byakuya forced his tiring mind and riled nerves to subside, as he gingerly brought his fingers to the loose folds of the dirtied bandages encasing Grimmjow's right forearm, the noble admittedly curious to see what sort of damage had been inflicted upon the hot-headed espada while being under Kurotsuchi's watch.

Byakuya made quick-work of unraveling the few strands of long bandages, gathering all of the thick fabric into his hands to be thrown away in the woven bin several feet away from him, but all of the raven-haired man's thoughts suddenly vanished inside his head for a solid moment as he beheld the ghastly sight of what those bandages had been covering.

Several puncture wounds were present over Grimmjow's thick forearm, signifying to the Kuchiki heir that he had been injected there on many occasions, but what worried Byakuya the most was how, around those injection sights, Grimmjow's skin was raw and red, the tiny, green veins underneath his flesh even more visible than normal, and the soul reaper could only guess that that had to have been because Jeagerjaques' body had rejected whatever poison had been given to him.

"_What terrible pain he must have been in when his body rejected the substances…"_Byakuya could not help but ponder sympathetically, gravely, before blinking his troubled eyes down to the new roll of gauze in his hand and drawing out a lengthy strand of the medical wrapping cloth.

Grimmjow appeared to be blindly facing a random side without a care in the world as he lie leaning against the far bathroom wall, Byakuya standing in between his spread knees as he applied the gauze to the espada's injured forearm with skilled ministrations, the Kuchiki glanced and glanced again, his half-lidded eyes now heavy with worry and a strange, vicarious ache as the raven watched Grimmjow for as long as he could before having to lower his gaze back down to his work.

A tear was made to the strand of gauze, the end creased and then tucked into one of the many folds of the material that wrapped around Grimmjow's arm to keep it in place, and then Byakuya was stepping even closer to the unknowing enemy male and sliding his arms around the espada's torso so that the latter could be carefully pulled down from the counter top and lead into the adjacent, master bedroom.

Consciously keeping his extravagant bedroom unlit as a courtesy to the slumbering person in his arms, Byakuya directed them to the nearest end of his large, white-decorated bed, the adorning comforter of which as soft and gentle as wispy clouds to the espada as the lovely Kuchiki male eased Grimmjow's taller, bulkier body down onto its heavenly surface.

One shoulder at a time, Grimmjow was lain down on top of the Kuchiki heir's impressive bed, the espada ending up having one leg draped over the edge of the bed with his toe touching the floor while his other was sprawled out across the supple mattress, one hand also resting comfortably across his stomach in the process.

Byakuya huffed out a bit of oxygen upon having performed such strenuous, tedious work; the sexta espada not at all being a light-weighted individual and hauling him around for the better part of the night had definitely taken its toll on the exhausted squad six captain.

However, having finally completed all of his tasks, things that he had been knowingly planning for ahead of time whilst he had still be back in his squad offices, Kuchiki kept his eyes trained adoringly on his prize, taking in Grimmjow's every curve and line of muscle that shaped his rugged form that graced the icy captain's own bed, as the raven walked silently to the other end of the room.

Steel grey eyes never left Jeagerjaques' tranquil, half-exposed form, Byakuya maintaining a constant surveillance over the sleeping male whilst he effortlessly picked off his gloves from his hands, dropping them onto his nearby, wooden nightstand, the whole expanse of the room remaining cast in inky shadows and tricks of false light as the Kuchiki worked to make himself more comfortable before retiring as well.

"_I've done it…I've completed everything that I had hoped I would today…"_Kuchiki mentally spoke to himself as he brought his delicate, pale hands up to his ivory-hued kenseikan to routinely but carefully pull the intricate headpiece out of his lengthy, midnight-colored mane, _"…and now…I have him here…with me."_

The act of taking out his headpiece always making his scalp tingle for a few minutes, Byakuya paused slightly as he made to set the items of his birthright onto the same, small table next to his gloves, a single, troubling thought gaining his abrupt attention for a second, unfortunately creating even more in its brief but pregnant wake.

"_What if he does not tell me anything about Aizen…? He will need to if he wants to live, but…"_Byakuya continued to internally battle with himself over the serene but, regrettably, medicated young man lain out before him, still within his view admist the gigantic, white pillows by his head and shoulders, _"…and…what if he also…does not want to be here with me? Did I rush this, perhaps…?What if he acts violently the next day…"_

Byakuya shook out his layered, black locks, eyes still trailing diligently over Grimmjow's frame, watching the flat, rigid planes of the espada's chest rise and fall in a even rhythm whilst he slept soundly, the Kuchiki also checking for any changes or hints that he was even beginning to wake up, before the soul reaper captain continued further with his nightly routine.

"_No…I won't let him,"_ Byakuya thought resolutely, almost saucily, as the raven-haired noble slowly licked his full, shapely lips as he stepped more to the foot of the bed where the tastefully designed footboard rose up from the paralleling posts.

"_I will get him to tell me information about the traitor…I will not let him try to throw his life away…he is mine…"_ the raven concluded firmly to himself, his hands finding their way to the folds of his robes as he continued to eye the blue-haired male in his bed with pleading, suggestive eyes, his fingers pulling his thin material apart with lingering movements that would bring any onlooker to their knees upon witnessing such a blatant, teasing movements.

Truth be told, Byakuya almost wanted for Grimmjow to open his startlingly blue eyes right at this moment, to see him as he was now, Byakuya's tasks being admittedly less than innocent as he took his time stripping his upper body of his clothes to let them drape off of his perfectly tapered waist before tending to his white obi.

However, the handsome, unconscious male before the noble remained unchanged as Grimmjow continued to snooze in his enticingly charismatic pose that looked fit for a centerfold shot in any adult magazine, and Byakuya knew that he certainly could not blame him for that as he untied his own obi from his waist and let all of his loose-fitting attire simply fall from his angelic, lean form in a fleeting, petal-soft rush against his skin.

Collecting his now lifeless, black and white garb, Byakuya draped the articles of clothing over the footboard of his bed, specifically setting his captain's haori aside from the rest, as he knew that the items would not be disturbed by him or the espada throughout the night, before Byakuya retraced his steps back towards the opposite side of the bed from Grimmjow so he may retrieve a simple, light-colored yukuta from his open, neatly organized closet.

The sleek material of the sleepwear slid across pale, taut skin, as fluid as any path of water, as Byakuya dressed in his light-weight attire, tying the sinfully comfortable item at his waist while simultaneously turning away from his built-in closet, the noble facing his predetermined side of the bed and, ultimately, the one who was currently occupying it as the Kuchiki heir now had nothing to do but to finally get some rest as well.

That thought in mind, Byakuya stepped towards his darkened, shadow-laden bed until he could draw the heavy but supple blankets back and ease one leg in after the other on top of his mattress, the noble also trying not to disturb the striking male next to him even though he seriously doubted if that was possible at the moment.

His comforter covering his lithe frame at last, ushering in mountains of relaxing, bone-melting sensations to riddle through his muscles and mind, Byakuya sighed in utter comfort and harmony for the first time that day as he settled his raven head against one of his overstuffed pillows behind him.

The abiding, nighttime atmosphere was fast to catch up to the previously worrying and working Kuchiki now that said man was finally lying down in his own bed, feeling personally satisfied and content with the outcomes of his exertions, as Byakuya felt his weighted eyes experience even more pressing need to seal permanently and completely give himself over to an all-encompassing rest.

However, not willing to give into that sweet, tempting coax just yet, Byakuya could not help but turn his head slightly over to Grimmjow's side, half-lidded, ash-colored eyes sweeping appreciatively over the espada's strong profile and the way that his perfect lips were parted ever-so slightly whilst he breathed and rested beside him; the same man whom Byakuya had seen act as fiercely and defensively as a ravenous animal suddenly so tame and humble beside him, it was intriguing to the point of madness to the enthralled Kuchiki heir who felt as if he had just saved a wild dog from the streets.

Resisting the nagging in his joints and muscles to lessen the distance between his own, lean form and the sexta espada next to him, Byakuya pushed those thoughts aside in favor of closing his eyes at last, finally ready to sleep the remaining night away and begin something new, something exciting and unpredictable, invigorating and, at the same time, dangerous, with his mysterious companion the following day and the day after that.

"Grimmjow…"Byakuya murmured in a nearly inaudible voice, his eyes still closed and his head having lolled tiredly to a side against his pillow, as perhaps the stricken Kuchiki just needed to identify the cause for the consumption of his thoughts aloud before finally going to sleep.

X

Two and a half hours later that same night…

Eyelids bordered by a rich, teal color scrunched lightly before slowly revealing lovely, engulfing sapphire, as Grimmjow Jeagerjaques gradually felt his grasp on his heavenly slumber leave him, making his senses start to come to life as the espada blinked his eyes open.

Straight away, the sexta espada realized that he did not recognize where he was, his mind not being able to remember even arriving at such a warm, comfortable place that was obviously not back at the squad twelve facilities, but the blue-haired male could hardly care less for the technicalities of such a favorable, and greatly improved circumstance.

Releasing a light, broken sigh through his nose, Grimmjow made to sit up from the pliant, miraculously cushioned bed, bringing both of his white-clad legs to fold over the high-rising edge so that his feet touched down on the carpeted floor; Grimmjow took a weary, half-way dozing moment to roll his exposed shoulders, relieving any tension within his sleep-cramped muscles before doing anything else.

In spite of how his heavy eyelids begged to be sealed shut once again, Grimmjow swept his gaze across the surprisingly spacious and decadent master bedroom, his highly-adept eyesight able to see through the surrounding darkness of the present evening hour and make out the exquisite watercolor designs that spanned out across the walls, the attention to detail and use of color unlike anything Grimmjow had ever seen before.

Through the inky, jagged shadows that marred the walls and pieces of rich, complimenting furniture, Grimmjow lifted his eyebrows at the sight of beautiful, smoke-grey walls that ebbed into a bold black at most of the corners and angles before gradually giving way to soft whites and a lovely, light shade of blue.

Eye-catching, black outlines of elegant cranes standing in complete harmony with the world while others flew overhead meshed exceptionally well with the flow of the seamless pastel shades that looked like actual watercolor paintings making up each wall that enclosed such a extravagant space; the few, masterfully painted areas of the light blue hues seeming to act as places where water and sky met, where the cranes stood or flew and decorated the appealing, wholly serene scenery lain out before him.

Grimmjow blinked his eyes a few times, having turned his head towards his left to take in more of the panoramic pictures that circled the room, bringing it effortless life yet unfathomable peace at the same time, before the Jeagerjaques male simply accepted his awe over such an extraordinary room and pushed himself to his feet from the supportive bed.

Continuing to utilize his excellent vision, Grimmjow was able to deduce that the washroom was directly ahead of him a ways, so the enemy male sluggishly shuffled across the remainder of the room in that direction, bringing up a hand to a temple to idly scratch at his scalp and move his matted hair out of his eyes.

However, before Grimmjow had gotten too far into his unsteady walk, his lifted wrist was suddenly seized in an iron hold from behind him, and the espada was able to feel cold steel pressing sharply to his throat.

"What are you doing?" a chilly, no-nonsense voice asked solidly from Grimmjow's side, the words hitting the espada's large shoulder as a consequence of the speaker's shorter, thinner stature, the deadly blade not moving an inch away from Grimmjow's throat before an answer was heard.

"Ow…jeeze…"Grimmjow voiced as he somewhat flinched from Byakuya Kuchiki gripping so tightly onto his injured wrist and holding it up, the realization dawning instantly on the latter, prompting the raven to loosen his crushing hold on the appendage a little, "…m'going to the bathroom…that is allowed here, isn't it…?"

The words had been spoken in an overly-annoyed yet sleepy tone, only proving Grimmjow's point all the more to the Kuchiki male that they were truly discussing a non-issue before the noble carefully released the espada's bandaged arm and slowly withdrew Senbonsakura from Grimmjow's tanned neck.

"Be quick," Byakuya ordered curtly, replacing his beloved sword back into its light-colored sheath and taking a mindful step back from the Jeagerjaques male as the latter finally brought his injured forearm to his own attention and observed Kuchiki's handiwork.

"Yeah, yeah…like I'd try to run away right now anyway; I still feel like hammered shit… "Grimmjow grumbled vulgarly in his own, strange humor before resuming his walk towards the bathroom, Byakuya watching him intently the whole time, viewing exactly how those solid, sculpt muscles moved over one another an in effortless shift and slide across the espada's wide back and large arms, a seductive beckoning in its own right that the Kuchiki heir felt he could not cease from observing.

Byakuya watched as Grimmjow Jeagerjaques entered his personal bathroom, the same, brightly illuminated room where he had just treated his wounds and cleaned him up, before the latter promptly closed the white door behind him, shielding his actions from the noble's intimate gaze any longer; the simple gesture of watching the espada close the door all but signaling to the Kuchiki that the intense but brief moment had ended and that he should, consequentially, get back in bed.

Eyes defiantly glued to the closed door across the room, Byakuya maneuvered to his side of the bed and easily slipped back underneath the sheets and blankets, waiting for Grimmjow to return and admittedly eager to see if he would do so willingly or otherwise.

The beam of light glowing from below the bathroom door was absolutely aggravating to the typically patient Kuchiki noble as he remained as silent as a grave whilst trying to listen to the espada moving around inside the adjacent room, trying to decipher just exactly what the blue-haired male was doing even though it was guaranteed that he was going to see him again in only another few minutes.

Byakuya sighed and forced his head away from looking towards the door, the raven bringing a hand to his own forehead in an attempt to calm down, make his self realize that everything was still alright, and that nothing had changed since he had brought the sexta espada to his house.

Meanwhile, inside the light-beige bathroom, after Grimmjow had first and foremost relieved himself, the espada was tiredly washing his hands inside the round, white sink while nonchalantly observing his own features in the huge, golden mirror in front of him.

Jeagerjaques noticed with a bit of sour rue in his thoughts how atrocious his usually feather-soft blue hair looked, as the short tresses were hanging thickly down around his neck and temples from consecutive days of not washing the light-colored mane.

Also, Grimmjow tasted blood inside his mouth, the bitter, metallic taste singing on his tongue and invading his senses as he licked the roof of his mouth and in between a few, sharp teeth, gathering a small amount of spit to be spat out into the sink.

Just as he had predicted, his white, bubbly spit was coated with a sinister shade of red, so the espada turned off the tap and reached his freshly-bandaged arm to his right to retrieve the tall, green bottle of mouthwash that had been sitting there next to a dizzying assortment of personal hygiene products.

After a quick twist to the white cap, Grimmjow brought the whole bottle to his lips and let a generous amount of the stinging, alcoholic fluid rush into his mouth before sloshing the contents around at a fast, vigorous pace, his hands already working to replace the cap on the item and set it back down on the counter top.

The espada could definitely tell that the taste and scent of blood were being erased from his mouth as he swished the mouthwash from side to side for a minute longer, making sure to cleanse his tongue with the spearmint-flavored substance, before bringing his head down a bit closer to the sink and spitting out the product as well.

Grimmjow licked his lips as he lifted his head, the espada truthfully feeling exponentially better now that he had taken care of a few, immediate needs and was ready to get back to that wonderful bed, his piercing blue eyes flickering up to his own reflection on the commanding mirror before him one, final time before he turned away from the counter and stepped to the door, a hand automatically rising to the light switch to hit on his way out.

Byakuya's dark-silver eyes widened slightly at the sight of Grimmjow walking out of his bathroom, casually turning off the light as he brought the back of his other wrist under his chin and gently swiped at the flesh there whilst he continued to move closer and closer to his side of the white bed, the whole view of said man moving around so freely and knowingly, appearing as if he had lived there all his life.

Silence was between them as Jeagerjaques wordlessly sat back down upon Byakuya's impressive bed, the Kuchiki able to hear the sounds of Grimmjow kicking off his sandals before lifting both legs onto the mattress and pulling the blankets up and over his own body, the now conscious and fully-aware espada ready to sleep properly underneath the cloud-like comforter and silken sheets rather than on top of them.

The esteemed captain could not help the action in the least as he turned on his side to face Grimmjow as the latter got situated with laying the covers over his own body, the espada turning on a side as well as he snuggled his head against another one of the impossibly huge pillows along the headboard, his eyes having already closed upon being wrapped in such tangible bliss.

Byakuya could honestly feel his own anxiety melt away, his own previous, undeniable worry that had plagued his thoughts about how Grimmjow really had been wanting to escape just lift right off of his chest, as the very image of Grimmjow walking back to him of his own accord had meant worlds to the solitary yet yearning Kuchiki widower, and he could truthfully admit to himself that he was grateful that the espada was there with him now.

Byakuya could feel his mind racing in spite of how there were no clear thoughts present inside his genius mind, as, after several, calm minutes of simply watching Grimmjow's relaxed expression and the way his blue locks were angled across his brow and eyes from his side-laying position, the Kuchiki heir mindlessly but still with ever-present caution, scooted closer to the unmoving espada, already feeling massive amounts of pure gratification wash over him upon doing so.

Closer now to the wild, unruly male within his grasp, Byakuya could better see those angled, teal-colored markings around Jeagerjaques' closed eyes, could smell the light scent of mint in the small space in between them coming from Grimmjow's tiny puffs of breath, could examine just how otherworldly his striking features truly were no matter what shade of day graced his face.

The raven-haired male reached a tentative, pale hand out towards the upturned side of Grimmjow's face, eyes as set and determined as chilled steel as he watched his own, slender fingers first ghost curiously over the jaw-like fragment of Grimmjow's Hollow mask before sliding almost affectionately across the dangerous-looking teeth until he could lightly trail his fingertips over the harder edges along the top.

Suddenly, Byakuya's hand was seized by a much larger one in a solid grip, Grimmjow's fingers squeezing over his own and stilling the Kuchiki's ministrations, as cobalt blue snapped open and clearly displayed the espada's overall confusion and hints of delicious fury towards his caretaker.

Keeping his voice low and soft, Byakuya blinked his lovely gaze at Grimmjow's fierce eyes; his hand still within the latter's relentless grasp; as he spoke calmly, "I apologize…I was just curious…"

The statement had been kept simple, his words light and caressing over the puzzled sexta espada, and Byakuya had to suppress a gasp of utter surprise from leaving him too noticeably as he watched Grimmjow sigh quietly, close his eyes in acceptance and, perhaps, obedience, as the blue-haired male replaced the Kuchiki's hand back over the bone structure adorning his cheek, allowing him to continue.

Grimmjow retracted his tanned hand from the noble's fingers, obliging the raven in every way, as he resumed trying to relax and fall back asleep where he lie, wholly granting Byakuya's wish to openly touch and explore his Hollow mask fragment, which the latter did at a measured, cherishing pace.

Byakuya knew that he had just been given permission that, probably, no person had ever had the merit to obtain with the Jeagerjaques male, and the soul reaper took his time in running the pads of his fingers over the many, smooth grooves and lines that constructed the hard material.

It was fascinating to be able to touch something so notorious and feared regarding the certain circles the Kuchiki was a part of, and Byakuya relished in the fact that he was capable of doing so at his leisure due to Grimmjow Jeagerjaques' endearingly behaved behavior around only him, like he had some sort of unnamable access to something magical which no other person in all of the Soul Society could even hope to understand.

"…_perhaps I do…"_Byakuya mused significantly to his own inner ponderings as he dared to bring his fingers a little higher and brush back some of the longer locks of striking blue tresses away from Grimmjow's temple and cheek, still feeling every bit as humbled and privileged that he was able to do such things with the severely guarded espada beside him, trusting him.

However, skilled yet delicate fingers slowed in their already unhurried touches against Grimmjow's Hollow mask fragment, Byakuya's eyes only getting heavier and aching with growing need to close once again, as the Kuchiki's hand trailed listlessly down the side of Grimmwjow's handsome face and across his neck, until Byakuya's lifeless fingers rested completely on the mattress in between both man's chests - the noble heir of the Kuchiki house having drifted off into another bout of magnificent, nurturing sleep, his fingertips tingling pleasantly from having touched something untouchable.

_Author's Note_: Omg…I have the greatest idea for a later chapter concerning Ichigo. It's going to be super funny lolol. XD I can't wait; I wish this crap would write itself! GAH!!! Leave a review and tell me your thoughts, yeah?


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

The next morning…

The raven-haired noble had awoken especially early, having moved off of his bed with hurried, adrenaline-fueled movements so he may dash around the edge of the warm, rumpled bed located in the center of the room and head into his personal bathroom, the Kuchiki male knowing that at such an odd, morning hour, his prized guest was sure to continue sleeping peacefully and remain unaware of him bustling about.

His ideas for the day fresh and vivid inside his genius mind, Byakuya practically forgot about the tiny tinges of tiredness still present within him, as he untied his light yukata from around his waist and let the soft garment simply flutter to the cool, tiled surface below, the noble deliberately trying not to waste any more time than necessary in his preparations prior to him reporting in to his squad.

Nearly knowing exactly how many turns per knob were needed to set the temperature of the water perfectly to his liking, Byakuya stepped inside his shower located a little farther inside the generous bathroom, the small, frosted-glass compartment kept separate from the huge, rounded tub that was opposite the granite counter top and sink.

While Byakuya realized that he would normally spend a little extra time in the shower to tend lovingly to his lengthy, midnight-colored mane and apply a light lotion to his skin after cleansing his body with soap, those things of added leisure were the furthest things from Byakuya's mind right now as the noble hastily worked some suds of bodywash over his chest and arms before hurriedly gathering some lavender-colored shampoo into his hands from one of the many products located on the built-in shelves around him.

Long, black tresses were worked through with the shampoo, and long, pale limbs were given a rushed once-over with the lilac-scented bodywash, before Byakuya rinsed himself of all bubbles and ointments under the hot spray of water and then deftly turned the adequate-sized, silver shower knobs in the other direction to stop the flow of water from raining overhead.

"_I don't think I have ever taken a faster shower in all my years here…"_the noble male mused to himself surprisingly light-heartedly as Byakuya stepped out of the shower and immediately grabbed a large, turquoise-colored towel from the same golden rack which he had retrieved Grimmjow's white towel the night before.

Byakuya Kuchiki ran the expansive towel down his long, dripping legs before easily scrubbing the soft material over his taut, deceptively strong arms, drying his moistened skin in expert time as he patted a textured corner of the item to his beautiful face.

Byakuya began to step across the space of the bathroom, heading for the door now that he had finished in the bathroom, as he simultaneously brought the towel to his onyx mane, squeezing at the sopping wet ends and wringing out as much moisture as he could before gently rubbing at his long locks with the towel covering his hands.

With movements only a person having lived in this exact environment for so long could execute, the moment that Byakuya's fingers touched the doorknob so he may exit the bathroom, his other hand had dropped the towel down to his waist and secured the damp folds tightly across his narrow hips, his jet-black hair as dry as it could be with only using a towel while he proceeded to move back into his bedroom.

A small, somewhat amused smirk played on Byakuya's supple lips as he padded swiftly but soundlessly across the watercolor-decorated bedroom, the view with which he had been granted upon exiting his bathroom was that of Grimmjow continuing to rest on his stomach with his large, deftly-honed arms hugging a pillow to his head as the varying sheets and blankets were snuggly wrapped around his waist, leaving his broad, tanned back exposed for all to behold and appreciate.

Mesmerizing grey eyes slid down the wondrous curves and stature that the sleeping man provided until the Kuchiki male approached his closet and had to turn his attention to his clothes hanging and sorted out neatly before him amongst all the drawers and racks.

With another undeniable jolt riddling through his nerves, not unlike the one that had plagued the Kuchiki heir last night whence he had stripped in front of the blue-haired espada, Byakuya quickly, this time, changed into a clean set of robes with efficient, knowing tucks and ties of the sleek, durable fabric around his body and accented meaningfully with his expensive, light-colored scarf

"_I wonder how late Renji will be today…"_Byakuya pondered a bit randomly as he secured his black and white attire even more and then stepped over to his nightstand, somewhat mindlessly picking up his fingerless gloves from the surface of the small, wooden table and slipping them over his wrists, _"…and I should let someone know to bring up food for Grimmjow before I leave. He will probably be asleep for most of the day, I imagine, so there shouldn't be any disturbances with the house staff…"_

Satisfied with his line of reasoning as to further handle the Jeagerjaques male that day, Byakuya also carefully picked up his off-white kenseikan from the dark-colored nightstand, cradling them delicately inside his palm as he stepped towards the foot of the bed.

Mindful that inside his one hand lie something impossibly precious and valuable to him, Byakuya used his other hand and a few of his free fingers to tug his long, captain's haori from the footboard of the bed, steel-colored eyes not able to resist flickering back up to the tanned and partially exposed form still occupying his sheets, as he flung the lightweight garment over his shoulders and slid his clothed arms through the openings.

Byakuya took a deep, clarifying breath, trying to steady himself once more against unsteady times, always feeling a bit of pride rise up inside of him upon having his flowing, white haori draped across his back, as he turned away from the more than inviting bed and faced his large chest of drawers and mirror.

"_I am going to have to come back to him early today. He is going to have questions for me and I also have things I need to say to him,__" _the raven continued to mentally create a list of things to do as he gently threaded the complicated headpiece into his silken hair in such a way that it made long strands of his bangs cut across his face at a most appealing angle, _"…I need to make him understand that he needs to tell me something about Aizen…or else he will be killed by the Soul Society."_

Byakuya sighed thoughtfully again, drinking in his own gloomy realization and possible hardships that await him concerning the hot-headed espada as he nimbly pulled the regal headpiece tighter along his scalp so that it stayed in place and looked absolutely exquisite as it shaped his hair and made his smoky eyes even darker, even more sultry.

Byakuya turned his back to the mirror, completely finished with all of his morning preparations to take place in such a room, but could not help but walk quietly over to the slumbering sexta espada, Grimmjow having not moved an inch the whole time the Kuchiki male had gotten ready for his day.

Looking over the staggeringly handsome warrior, Byakuya reached out a pale, partially gloved hand towards Grimmjow's sculpt shoulder, but hesitated as slender fingers hovered above the tanned, beckoning flesh of his enemy's at the last minute.

"…_he's mine…"_Byakuya reminded himself a bit darkly concerning the blue-haired male, giving himself the additional, mental nudge that he needed before lowering his fingers at last to that smooth, solid flesh.

"I'm off to work now, but I should be back soon," the silver-eyed man said quietly to the man beneath his touch, Kuchiki feeling a bit bolder, a bit needier with his own ministrations to Jeagerjaques, as he slid his entire hand onto the curved contours of the espada's bare shoulder, until the raven could firmly grasp the iron-hard muscle against his palm.

"Mm…"Grimmjow said in a half-hearted, gutteral sound as he was obviously just barely being roused from his sleep, long enough to hear his caretaker's words to him, as he shifted and stretched his back, "…mm-hmm."

Byakuya had watched as Grimmjow stretched atop his bed, flexing those hard-earned muscles along his strong back whilst causing the cotton-soft sheets around his waist to grip him even tighter, and the Kuchiki was pleased with Grimmjow's sleepy but positive response to his statement.

"I'll have some food brought up in a little while, Grimmjow," Byakuya added dutifully before sliding his hand off of the espada's shoulder, his information having been successfully conveyed and the noble male knew that he needed to take his first step away from his gorgeous charge.

"…'kay," Grimmjow said agreeably but perhaps somewhat mindlessly as the Jeagerjaques male was easily pulled back asleep from the constant, burdening weight to his eyelids and core, an urgent nagging that could not be ignored for a moment longer.

In spite of knowing that all of his personal tasks had been completed and that he needed to leave straight away in order to maintain his goal of arriving at his office earlier than usual, Byakuya had to force his feet to turn away from such an endearing, alluring sight, literally pull himself away from Grimmjow Jeagerjaques and direct his steps towards the bedroom door so that he may be his way.

However, upon reaching the doorway, Byakuya turned around in his spot, his scarf briefly shifting across his chest as he did so, as the master of kido lifted a hand out in front of his mouth, as if gathering energy into the center of his palm, before he extended out his hand so that it faced towards the inside of the room.

Silently, the Kucihki heir placed a glowing, golden barrier around his bedroom and, ultimately, the dangerous person who was in it, and Byakuya honestly felt a wave of relief flutter through him that set his mind at ease, now that he had his reassurance that Grimmjow could not venture anywhere else.

Satisfied with his decision, Byakuya turned to leave.

Each step felt like something he should apologize for to the blue-haired male sleeping soundly in his bed, but Byakuya managed to shove those troublesome thoughts to a far corner of his brain so that he could actually accomplish what he knew needed to that day, as the raven navigated out of his master bedroom, down the well-illuminated corridor, and towards the front of the house.

"Good morning, Master Kuchiki," an elderly woman said genuinely merrily as Byakuya strode to her side, the woman being an aged servant of the Kuchiki manor as she had known the raven-haired male when he had just been a young boy training in the gardens behind the house.

"Good morning. I have a request;" Byakuya said curtly but not harshly to his staff member, knowing that said woman could handle what he was about to ask of her, "I shall need a proper breakfast brought to my room in a few hours. Be sure to include several beverages."

It had been a deliberate action on the Kuchiki male's part to omit telling his servant about how he had a guest in his room, or how that particualr guest was recovering from the drugs in his system, and, especially, how their guest was a former espada of Aizen's army.

"Well, of course. It won't be a problem. I'll get the chefs on that right away, Master Kuchiki. Have a good day today," the older woman said warmly, offering Byakuya a kind smile on her crinkled, aged face that was still pleasant to look at and behold.

"Thank you," Byakuya replied shortly but gratefully before resuming his stride out of his manor and into the brilliant, invigorating rays of sunlight that cast a beautiful shine on all that they graced, the old woman having bowed to his walking form in absolute respect.

X

One hour later, at the squad six offices…

The raven-haired noble lined up the small bundle of completed forms inside his hands, tapping their bottom edges against the surface of his clean, expertly-maintained desk, before dropping them all in the small bin marked 'out' located at the far, right corner to remind Renji that they were ready to be filed away.

"_He is probably due in any minute now…"_Byakuya remembered about his typically tardy subordinate as he placed both of his hands flat against his desk so he may push himself up and out of his chair.

Just as Byakuya stood up to his full height, the main door to the offices burst open.

"Gah…oh, hello Captain Kuchiki. I uh…I apologize I wasn't here sooner. It won't happen again, sir!" Renji Abarai began sheepishly before practically shouting the last of his declaration to his standing, statuesque captain, the red-head especially embarrassed upon having been caught toppling inside of the squad six quarters by none other than his icy superior.

"Renji, I have something I need to talk to you about," Kuchiki began calmly, choosing to ignore Renji's pleads for forgiveness regarding a matter that, frankly, both men were just used to being a 'norm' within their squad.

"R-really, sir? What is it?" Renji asked politely as he moved further inside the spacious, tidy offices, internally cheering his good luck that Byakuya was preoccupied with something else and was not even flinching at his lateness.

Byakuya moved to stand by the side of his desk, crossing his arms as he did so, as the noble briefly contemplated how he should break his specific news to his fiery lieutenant who may or may not completely approve of such a development.

"You see, it was decided yesterday between myself and the head captain that…"Captain Kuchiki began to his attentive, tattooed subordinate, but was hastily cut off as he heard the main door to their office rooms slam open once more.

"Pardon my intrusion, Captain Kuchiki, but my captain would like to speak with you," came the sullen-sounding voice of Nemu Kurotsuchi as she stood perfectly still with her hands folded courteously out in front of her.

Byakuya sighed silently, his tongue licking the front of his teeth in annoyance of the not-so unexpected interruption, but said a quick 'excuse me' to Renji before following the hand-created female lieutanent out of the squad six offices and into the smaller, simpler foyer where guests could sit and wait to speak with squad members.

Captain Kurotsuchi was pacing rampantly inside the waiting area with such force that the gushes of air he produced were enough to move the leaves of the nearby planters, his milky white hands clasped behind his back as he did so.

"Captain, I have brought Captain Byakuya Kuchiki here to see you as you asked," Nemu said a bit listlessly as she knowingly stepped aside to let Byakuya pass and approach her steaming, furious superior.

The black-and-white coordinated man stopped dead in his tracks and cast his narrowed, golden gaze directly into Byakuya's cooler, unreadable features, the captain of squad twelve already demanding answers of the noble with his heated gaze before even uttering a single word.

"Kuchiki, what the hell do you think you are doing!?" Captain Kurotsuchi immediately exclaimed in his shrill, awkward-sounding voice, purposefully choosing to refer to the raven-haired male by his first name as a way to denounce and disrespect him.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, as a fellow captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, I'm afraid I must insist that you refer to me as such," Byakuya countered easily, his voice kept as a shallow breeze passing through by how effortless and placid it was.

"Captain Kuchiki, my patience has run out. Deliver back what you had your people steal from my division at once!" the madly grinning captain of squad twelve voiced in increasing volume, none of which perturbing the stoic raven, however, as he listened to Kurotsuchi make a blatant mistake in his assumptions but chose not to address the fact that it had been solely him who had retrieved Grimmjow the night prior.

"Impossible. Members of squad six are acting on direct orders given by Head Captain Yamamoto himself. You may…seek him out for further details, if you wish," Byakuya answered with timbered, haughty silk in his voice, steel grey eyes boring heavily into Mayuri's twitching, gnashing face.

Exasperatedly, Captain Kurotsuchi tossed his oddly-painted hands into the air while sighing dramatically at Byakuya's inarguable tactics.

"Nemu, we're leaving…"he ordered angrily of his subordinate who was quick to return to his side before strange golden orbs fixed back on Kuchiki's unmoving and seemingly bored stature, "…this isn't over!"

And with that, the pair from squad twelve stormed out of the main foyer area of the squad six facilities, leaving Byakuya with a small rush of wind to tug at his clothes before things seamlessly settled down inside the adjoined rooms.

"…uh…erm, sir…Captain…Kuchiki, sir?" Renji asked in a small voice, as if seeking to know if it was okay for him to come out of hiding and approach his captain once more.

"Come on out, Renji," Byakuya said plainly, knowing full-well that, like most people in the Soul Society, the captain of squad twelve creeped out his powerful lieutenant who usually tried to avoid him at all costs.

"Whew…that sounded like it got ugly…"Renji said in a much less tense voice as he appeared from behind his superior in the foyer, eyeing his captain's expression to see how he would react to such a probing observation.

"It had to do with the information I need to tell you," Kuchiki admitted as he watched the red-haired male walk passed him to one of their tasteful planters in the corner, a dark-green, spouted canister of water in his hands so he may water their office plants.

"Oh yeah? What's going on, captain?" Abarai asked with his back to Byakuya, still pouring a measured amount of water into the potted soil for the roots to absorb at their own pace and ultimately enrich the plant life.

Byakuya licked his lips.

"We have Grimmjow Jeagerjaques in our custody. It will be our duty to get him to tell us about whatever Aizen's planning," Captain Kuchiki answered in a staggeringly straight-forward manner, watching in slight shock as Renji dropped the water jug onto the floor the instant he had finished speaking.

"W-what?!" Renji blurted out, whipping his body around to face his serene captain with smoldering bewilderment in his auburn eyes and tattooes features.

Byakuya simply nodded his affirmation to everything he had just said, his metallic eyes closing solemnly, and perhaps, so he would not have to witness such evident dislike for the situation from his lieutenant.

"So…so, Grimmjow's…here…?" Renji rephrased Byakuya's statements as a question to better clarify such outrageous news to his struggling senses, his stance wide and blatantly defensive as he and his captain spoke of the notorious, blue-haired arrancar.

"He will be brought here tomorrow for questioning. I shall most likely require your help, Lieutenant Abarai," Kuchiki continued, intentionally calling Renji by his title as a sort of reminder to the latter of his place in their squad and that certain obligations were expected of him accordingly.

"And it's really okay with the head captain…?"Renji asked yet another question, his voice growing softer, more calm, as he stood up straight from his disbelieving stance and eyed his captain with a much more natural and comfortable gaze.

"Yes," Kuchiki answered evenly.

"…this is…this is so cool!" Renji exclaimed exuberantly to his now stunned captain and mentor, the red-haired male's features brightening up considerably as he closed his hands into fists and brought them in front of his chest in a victorious display.

"Having someone like _him_ on our side…there's no way we could lose now, and besides, how awesome is that to be able to have an arrancar living in the…"Renji continued to blurt out without truly thinking about what he was saying beforehand, until Byakuya cooly cut his speech off with a lift of his pale hand.

"Wait, Renji," Captain Kuchiki intervened his oftentimes loud-mouthed subordinate patiently, "…I'm afraid the situation is not that simple. He was captured and brought here; he did not come willingly. And also, like I told you earlier, he will need to disclose information about Aizen to us before two weeks is up."

Renji's victory sort of died on the red-head's face as he dropped his hands and smile, looking at his grave captain with an equally serious expression.

"Why? What happens after two weeks?" Abarai asked, tattooed brows etched with curious worry as he watched as Byakuya opened his half-lidded, ash-colored gaze and sought him out sternly before answering.

"He will be executed if he does not cooperate," the raven replied truthfully, watching how Renji's eyebrows shot up at the final answer.

"I see…I guess that means that I better start being his friend as soon as possible, right, Captain Kuchiki?" Renji provided, his tone was a bit playful but his words were kept serious and understanding, seeing as how Byakuya was never, ever playful with him right back.

"It would be well advised, Abarai," Byakuya agreed in his own way with his lieutenant before adding in a much more commanding voice, "…now go to your desk and finish your quota."

"Yes, captain!" Renji replied in a militant manner before hurrying off to his desk as ordered, the Kuchiki noble watching him do as he was told whilst his mind recollected everything that had already transpired that morning concerning that intriguing, blue-haired espada at his home.

X

A few hours later, back at the Kuchiki manor…

Grimmjow had awoken by his own body informing him that he had had enough rest for that day, as the tanned sexta espada gingerly rose up from the swarm of sheets and blankets that were wrapped around most of his frame atop Byakuya Kuchiki's massive bed.

Jeagerjaques realized with a bit of a nonchalant expression that he had not, in fact, really heard what the raven-haired man had said to him before departing, but the espada could very-well assume that it had been a sort of light farewell before the latter headed out for the day.

"…_hmph…when the hell's he supposed to back, though…"_Grimmjow thought to himself somewhat bitterly as he detangled himself from the crowding sheets and stood up from the bed, automatically heading towards the sun-brightened bathroom upon doing so.

Grimmjow knew that he needed a shower as he could practically feel the added weight in his light-colored hair, matting it down and making it feel greasy against his scalp, as the lonesome enemy male did not bother to turn on the lights in the bathroom or shut the door while he padded calmly to the frosted-glass shower that was located passed a huge, welcoming tub that admittedly caught Grimmjow's wandering eyes.

Despite having already been in this room on a few occasions now, Grimmjow felt like this was his first time inside the grand, nicely-decorated washroom, as his keen senses could smell the potent cleaners used in such a room, along with the many, varying scents of product that lined a corner of the counter and were stacked neatly inside the shower compartment.

Grimmjow could not deny that he actually liked Kuchiki's master bed and bathroom, as both were coordinated in such a way that when looking at one room from the other, all the colors in one's vision meshed exquisitely well regarding the sandy yellows and white of the bathroom and the sobering blues and black of the bedroom.

"…way better than any of the rooms in Las Noches…"Grimmjow muttered aloud to himself as he tugged his loose-fitting, white hakama off, letting it carelessly pool on the plainly tiled floor before he stepped into the shower and reached for the silver knobs.

Slowly at first to get a feel for the water's initial temperature, Grimmjow adjusted the heat of his shower before letting the water rain down from overhead in glorious streams of intensely hot water that instantly warmed his skin and eased his muscles.

Head inclined to properly wet down his blue hair and to feel the steady rushing of the waer trail generously down his back, Grimmjow was content to just stand there as he was, not moving at all for a few, solid minutes as the powerful espada simply allowed himself to get in touch with reality, become fully awake to everything around and influencing him, as he let the steam from the shower cloud around his waist and fill the small space he was in.

"That fucking Kurotsuchi or whatever his name is…fucking bastard…"Grimmjow voiced aloud for its own sake as he dropped his dripping chin, already feeling his sharp, well-honed senses and systems start to regain themselves within him just from finally having a soothing shower, as the blue-eyed male spotted a large, purple bottle of product on the built-in shelf closest him.

Grimmjow grabbed the slender bottle, eyed the small picture of lilacs on the front with slight disdain, before tipping it over and allowing his other hand to gather some of its sweet-smelling contents inside his palm.

Taking a conscious step back away from the oncoming spray of water, Grimmjow lifted both of his hands to his short, sky-blue locks, massaging the gel into his hair and purposefully trying to rid his scalp of any dried blood or sweat that had collected there over the weeks of being in the Soul Society.

The shampoo smelled almost too sweet to Grimmjow's highly-advanced senses, but the tanned male was prone to accepting it in full at the moment seeing as how it had been so long since he had been properly washed and cleaned, and the feeling alone of his own fingers working through his bubbly, soft mane was enough to pull a small groan from his lips.

Dropping his hands from his head and stepping back under the spray of water, Grimmjow let the raining water pull the suds from his short tresses, as he reached out and retrieved a peach-colored bar of soap from the shelf, rubbing the slippery solid in his hands to create a rich lather.

"Man…"Grimmjow whined to himself somewhat half-heartedly as the espada ran his soapy hands over both of his arms, scrubbing the bar of soap against his flesh to create even more of a light-scented, white foam to cover his body with as he worked his way down his torso, "…I should just go ahead and set fire to my hakama, as worn out as it is."

Tiny, translucent bubbles slowly slid down Grimmjow's tanned, powerful limbs in enticing pathways that were forced to curve this way and that due to his large, athletic form, until the espada let the shower water once again rinse away all traces of the lather, feeling even more of his mental discord, his typical anger, just flow right down the drain along with all of that soap.

Sighing in rare comfort, a problemless ease, Grimmjow remained underneath the live-giving downpour of amazingly hot water, even the steam flowing around him seemed to bring him peace, as Jeagerjaques lastly retrieved a light-green bottle of conditioner.

The creamy gel from the light-green bottle was a sparkling white inside of Grimmjow's battle-calloused hand, the scent being a distinct and vastly appealing tea, as the sexta espada slicked the conditioner into his soaked, blue locks, not taking to scrubbing the substance into his mane in favor of simply running his fingers through his tresses over and over until all of it was evenly coated.

The conditioner was rinsed out quickly since Grimmjow had not moved away from under the shower head, and the sexta espada effortlessly bent down to turn off the water, feeling unimagineably content and refreshed as he was now surrounded by quietude and only the mild lingering of the shower steam.

Feeling better than he had in a long time, Grimmjow took a deep, centering breath and then stepped out of the shower, grabbing the last remaining towel from the golden rack adhered to the wall in front of him, and immediately tossing it on top of his head.

Grimmjow only rubbed the towel to his short locks for a few minutes before flinging the soft, teal-colored item around his shoulders, holding into the ends in each of his hands and he worked the towel down his broad back and waist.

"Ugh…I guess I'm going to have to wear some of Byakuya's clothes…if they'll even fit," Grimmjow said to himself, perhaps to just hear something amidst the soundless rooms, the espada admittedly recalling the raven-haired male's slender, shorter form compared to his own and how his clothes had to be significantly smaller than what he would normally wear.

Spotting another teal towel draped across the footboard of the bed located in the other room, Grimmjow padded out of the bathroom and over to the end of the bed inside in the master bedroom, figuring very basically that if that was where Byakuya had placed his own towel earlier that morning, then so would he.

"Jeeze…there they are…those damned soul reaper outfits…fucking great,"Grimmjow grumbled as he peered into the opened closest located along the far right wall, the espada internally acknowledging that by performing such an act of dressing like the soul reapers, he might as well forget that he had ever been a part of the elite espada and originally not of their kind.

The thought was utterly daunting and depressing to the blue-haired male as he strode over to the aforementioned closet, Grimmjow's previous sense of harmony starting to dwindle from his grasp, as he frowned at the neatly hanging assortment of robes before him, a collage of black and white that clashed and coordinated perfectly together before his narrowed, cynical eyes.

"…well…what the hell…"Grimmjow said a bit defeated as he stepped closer to the closet and let a hand pass over the multiple garments hanging out before him until he finally closed his fingers around a few articles and pulled them down from the rack.

Grimmjow tossed the white and black robes behind him, knowing that the garments would land atop of the huge bed a little ways behind him as he chose to step into the wide-legged, black hakama and secure the fabric around his waist.

Suddenly, making the blue-haired male whip his head around towards the source of the sound, the door to the bedroom slowly creaked open, revealing a middle-aged woman wearing a traditional maid uniform and carrying a tray in both of her hands.

"Oh! I…I beg your pardon, sir! I brought the food that was requested of the chefs today, and…"the obviously nervous woman trailed off, pink tinging her cheeks as she tried to avert her eyes from the handsome, dressing male out in front of her, nearly piercing her with his demanding, blue gaze.

Grimmjow smirked wickedly at the bumbling woman, narrowing his eyes in almost a playfully savage way as the espada instantly had an idea as to what he would do with that tray of hers.

X

Approximately forty minutes later...

Byakuya Kuchiki strode down the cream-colored corridor of his own home, his long scarf slightly moving with each proud step that he took, as he walked further into the expansive manor, having passed by the spacious main sitting area and was currently making his way around the kitchen.

However, as the raven was passing by the typically bustling area of the house, Byakuya heard a few of the house staff speaking about a specific topic.

"That man is a menace! I cannot believe what he did, after all our hard work!" one female's voice cut through the rest, prompting the eavesdropping noble to immediately quicken his footsteps down the lengthy corridor until he veered slightly to the right and approached the door to his bedroom.

"_The barrier is still in place…"_ Byakuya mentally checked to himself as he lifted a ever-patient hand towards the closed room and dissappated his spell from the outside, feeling its pressure subside.

As soon as he did so, however, Byakuya noticed how the wall and floor just outside the bedroom doorway were streaked with stains and remnants of food items.

The observing noble was even able to clearly distinguish how one of the food items that must have collided with that wall had been a boiled egg.

"_I get it now…he must have done this__ and scared the house staff,"_ Kuchiki pieced together the scenario, now knowing why the women in the kitchen had been so frazzled and upset with his current house guest.

Byakuya steadied himself before casually opening the door, letting himself in at his own, comfortable pace despite not knowing what he was about to face with said espada.

There, standing right beside the mattress, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques was currently looking at him sqaurely in his face, his cobalt eyes portraying some sort of annoyance with something, but Byakuya's gaze hardly noticed whilst being in favor of observing how Grimmjow was wearing a set of his own robes but had not fastened them around his body or tied with an obi.

The inky hue of the noble's own attire clung deliciously to Grimmjow's broader chest and shoulders, causing the fabric to become quite taut around him before hanging in all its length down to his covered thighs, his tanned, rippled abdomen and Hollow hole on breath-taking but taunting display to the Kuchiki male.

"Finally…I thought you were just going to leave me here to die or something…" Grimmjow broke the silence first, rolling his lovely eyes at the awe-stricken noble who truthfully only barely processed half of the espada's sarcastic words to him.

"Grimmjow," Byakuya began in a mild, calm voice, forcing his eyes up to the blue-haired man's chiseled features and training them keenly on Grimmjow's quirked, interested eyebrow, "…why did you throw out the food that was brought to you?"

"Because, how do I know that that shit wasn't drugged up too?!" Grimmjow roared ferociously, his fingers outstretched as he swung a hand towards the direction of the door and, ultimately, where the maid who had visited him had come from.

"You're all fucking soul reapers here, so why the hell shouldn't I think that that food was poisoned…"Grimmjow finished angrily, stunning white teeth grit in a defensive, feral manner as he kept his smoldering blue eyes locked hard onto Byakuya's pale, diamond-cut features that had heard him out completely.

"I understand now, but I can assure you…"Byakuya kept his better wits about himself and his position, even if such a lively, gorgeous creature was trying to goad him into a fight, as the noble began stepping cautiously closer to the taller male, "…things of that nature are not going to happen to you anymore."

Grimmjow could not hide his blatant astonishment upon hearing such a heart-felt promise concerning his own well-being, definitely something that the arrancar male, honed and trained only for war and battle, was not used to hearing from another being at all.

The sexta espada's defensive stance having smoothly relaxed, he watched with curious, pondering eyes as Byakuya continued to walk fearlessly towards him until they were standing about a foot away from one another, the raven having to tilt his head up a bit in order to properly look at Grmmjow's face.

"But…why…?" Grimmjow seemed to have struggled with his own question to the beautiful male peering calmly into his eyes and drinking in his features, the espada not even noticing how Byakuya was lifting his hands up.

Pale, slender fingers of Byakuya's one hand slid unabashedly into Grimmjow's Hollow hole adorning his abdomen, hooking against the mysterious absence of solid flesh until he tugged Grimmjow even closer to his own form in a single, forceful jerk.

Grimmjow's eyes had widened drastically, a gasp leaving his parted lips, as he was suddenly pulled forward a few inches by the commanding yet abrupt leverage that Byakuya had executed on his Hollow hole, the espada not entirely sure how to react to such a bold move from the raven-haired male as he simply complied to the maneuver.

"I suppose it is appropriate for you to ask why, so I shall expain, Grimmjow," Byakuya agreed with surprising serenity in his voice, his mannerisms, as he slipped his gripping fingers from Grimmjow's Hollow hole so he may latch each hand onto the inner, white robe draping over the espada's torso.

"My squad and I are the ones who have custody of you now," Kuchiki began evenly as he kept his eyes lowered to his own work as he crossed the folds of the garment over Grimmjow's torso, securing the ends by knotting the tiny strings of fabric so that they stayed put, "…I will be bringing you to my offices tomorrow morning so we may begin formal questioning…but…"

"But what…?" Grimmjow pressed awkwardly for more information from the close-standing, angelic-looking soul reaper who was busy performing the same technique to the outer, black robe so that it crossed neatly over his chest and that the fabric would lie flat against the hard planes of his build.

Byakuya could not help but look up into Grimmjow's worried, uncertain face, forever handsome to his steel-grey eyes, as he purposefully brought his hands down the front of Jeagerjaques' unmoving body so he may begin tucking in the ends of the robes into the front of his hakama.

His hands moved slowly, precisely as he forced the light, soft fabric to slip underneath the top hem of Grimmjow's matching black hakama, Byakuya's half-lidded eyes watching intently through his eyelashes as the espada's supple lips parted further in confusion and, perhaps, unforeseeable pleasure.

"It has come to my attention that I would prefer…not to see you hurt, so I shall be monitoring you personally," Byakuya finished explaining what he wished of the situation to Grimmjow as he also completed his task of properly dressing his enemy captive, still reveling in the speechlessness present within those ocean-blue orbs of his.

"Hmph…but why should I trust you?" Grimmjow forced himself out of his brief reverie by such a blunt question to his caretaker, now able to understand why he had been brought to this extravagant house and allowed to move about as he had been, but not completely ready to merely go along with whatever the Kuchiki male asked of him.

"How do I know this isn't just another one of your soul reaper mind-fuck tricks, huh?" Grimmjow asked in a low, guarded voice, taking a small step back from Byakuya's slighter form as he set his jaw and waited for the Kuchiki to answer him.

"_Because I don't want you to be sentenced to death in two weeks…"_Byakuya immediately answered Grimmjow's probing questions inside his own mind, but sighed aloud as he realized he could not say exactly that to the inquisitive captive.

"I am aware I must earn your trust, Grimmjow, but under the circumstances, you will be staying here with me, so it is simply in everyone's best interests that we get along," the raven-haired noble answered smoothly before side-stepping the statuesque espada so he may go to his closet and deftly retrieve a long, white obi for the Jeagerjaques male to wear as well.

"I uh…"Grimmjow began a bit thoughtlessly but stopped whatever words were trying to form inside his mind as he had to quickly catch the obi that the Kuchiki male had tossed to him.

Byakuya turned back around to face his enthralling espada whilst the latter drew the obi around his waist a few times and then tied the ends in a sensible bow, securing his robes to fit more cleanly to his body while also providing his athletic physique a more sculpted shape to be gleaned from any onlookers.

"Well, then, would you care to join me for lunch in the gardens?" Byakuya asked the sexta espada rather politely as he was already angling his feet towards the door to exit.

"Sure…? I am kind of starving," Grimmjow agreed before admitting to his fair-skinned caretaker, shoving his hands inside the pockets that were fashioned into the sides of his hakama as he cocked his light-blue head at Byakuya.

"Perhaps you should not have wasted the food from earlier," Byakuya could not help but jab teasingly at the espada as both men began naturally exiting the room, each walking casually next to the other as if they had been close friends for years.

"Gah…told you; I didn't know…"Grimmjow tried to defend his actions childishly, making a sort of psuedo-grimace at the raven as they strode comfortably out of the bedroom and down the hallways, the espada prone to, more or less, following Byakuya's lead and head in whichever direction he felt the soul reaper veer off to.

Byakuya chuckled softly at Grimmjow's half-hearted answer as the pair made a sharp left, passing what looked like to the watchful espada as a small library or personal office, before they both reached a set of sliding, glass doors that led outside.

Grimmjow had to initially shut his deep, blue eyes upon being suddenly subject to intense sunlight, something he had not seen in quite a while, blinking them open after a minute but only to be wholly taken aback by his gorgeous, brain-numbing surroundings.

All around the paved area where a round glass table stood with a few chairs beside it, were dozens of high-rising and curved sakura trees; the span of their light-pink petals almost completely blotting out any view of the sky as the beautiful foliage surrounded the area in a heavenly, pillow-soft hue of the color that coated the grass below and provided a sort of surreal canopy above the enclosed area.

Beyond the trees, Grimmjow could see that the outside area was walled-in, leading him to believe that this place truly was Byakuya Kuchiki's private garden that few others were even allowed to set foot in, and the espada could hardly believe that he was standing where he was at the moment.

"Have a seat, Grimmjow," Byakuya said cooly, tearing Grimmjow from his thoughts about said man, as he focused his gaze back onto the glass table and how the noble was already sitting down in one of the cushioned chairs there.

Grimmjow chose not to say anything right away as he wordlessly walked over to join Byakuya, sitting down in the opposite seat whilst his eyes still searched the pleasant, aromatic area, Grimmjow able to see a quaint, stone-bordered koi pond over to his left in between a few of the trees.

"You know…being here like this, reminds me about the times when Aizen would have these god-awful tea parties with us espada," Grimmjow recalled light-heartedly to his lunchtime companion with a bit of a nostalgic chuckle escaping him.

"_Aizen__...! This is good. Just keep him talking about Aizen, Byakuya Kuchiki…"_Byakuya immediately shouted inside his own mind concerning his underlying duties to the head captain.

"Is that right…" Byakuya began mildly, folding his hands on top of his lap as he watched as Grimmjow placed his forearms across the table, "…what else would Aizen do?"

"He was always such a bastard to me," Grimmjow confessed with disparagement written all over his tanned features, "…nothing I did was right, but I hated him, so whatever."

Byakuya smirked at Grimmjow's particular wording, but waited politely for the Jeagerjaques male to finish.

"He was always saying that we were just meant to 'further his own ambitions'…bunch of crap, if you ask me…" Grimmjow recalled a bit more seriously, his eyes having dropped down to the thick glass surface in between him and Byakuya, and the latter could tell that his blue-haired charge was obviously recalling something rather personal and upsetting.

Byakuya blinked once more at his brooding companion and was about to ask another question of him, but halted immediately upon hearing the same glass doors they had used open, as a formally dressed male servant stepped carefully onto the paved area from inside the manor, his arms carrying a few dishes and tray of beverages.

Grimmjow turned an indifferent gaze towards the approaching house staff member as the latter fought to slowly lower down all of the plates from his arms onto the table, careful not to spill any of the contents as he set them here and there, as he kept his black eyes fixed on his work.

"Thank you," Byakuya offered politely but quietly to his employee, already picking up his ceramic cup of hot tea and bringing it to his lips before doing anything else.

"Yes, Master Kuchiki…sir," the young man with short black hair muttered lamely to his intimidating master before blatantly peering over to Grimmjow, his feet hesitating to move away like he knew he should, as the male servant took to staring wide-eyed at the former espada in spite of honestly knowing better than to do so.

It took a minute for Jeagerjaques to notice that the staff member had not walked away from them yet, Grimmjow's eyes having been scrupulously, analytically sweeping over their steaming bowls of rice, seaweed miso soup, and cuts of fresh, lightly-seasoned fish, before the sexta espada looked up towards the gaping, younger male.

Sinisterly, wholly amused that he had caught someone staring at him in such an obvious manner, Grimmjow kissed the air towards the servant's direction before grinning madly at him, loving the startled expression that became the young man's face as a result of seeing such suggestive antics.

"Ah…eh, excuse me!" the black-eyed servant gasped frightfully, probably more afraid of Grimmjow than he had been at first, as he hastily shuffled back towards the manor with his now empty tray.

Grimmjow sighed in relief the moment the servant had left his sight, feeling a bit agitated than anything else from such an occurrence, as he replaced his gaze back on the generous portions of sense-rousing food that were meant for him and the Kuchiki noble.

Behind his cup of tea, Byakuya had watched the whole exchange, having noticed straight away that his servant had not left them upon being said 'thank you' to, and chilly, grey eyes had burned into the side of the young man's head as he had been openly staring at Grimmjow's unsuspecting form.

However, whence the espada had finally become aware of said events and crudely made a kissing face at him before smiling like a deranged madman, the Kuchiki male had been secretly delighted in Jeagerjaques' choice to turn the young man's world upside down on its axis.

That servant had not known what to do except leave and Byakuya could not have been more pleased with the sexta espada's brazen, uncaring antics, antics and choices of action which the noble male could not help but notice…were never shown to him.

"Try your rice," Byakuya said kindly to the tamed, wonderfully compliant Grimmjow, the atmosphere between the two men having become drastically easier, much less complicated, and remarkably relaxing whilst they enjoyed their lunchtime meal as well as the other man's company in turn.

_Author's Note_: Ha! Funny thing: I just realized that in my other story Red Rosaries, I make Byakuya friggin KILL Grimmjow and Renji lolol. XD Oh, jeeze. Please excuse my lameness but I do hope you are enjoying this story so far, yes?


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"Jeeze…I don't think I'll ever get used to the sun here, you know…"Grimmjow said grouchily to his raven-haired companion, holding a hand to his face to shield his sharp eyes from the pressing rays of the morning sunlight beaming from overhead.

"I remember that it is always night in Hueco Mundo, so I imagine you are not used to such sunlight," Byakuya commented to the blue-haired espada next to him as both men casually walked through the streets of the Soul Society, heading towards the designated area of the large, flawlessly-coordinated squad barracks.

Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, dressed in his loaned, traditional black garb, was currently following his Kuchiki caretaker as they passed building after building, the espada not exactly caring too much to take in the impressive sights of the maze-like walls that they navigated through or the towering constructions as he was still rubbing at his tired, teal-marked eyes with a few of his fingers.

"Come now, Grimmjow," Byakuya said to his sluggishly following charge as they approached the grand entrance to the squad six offices, the pair of them standing on the smoothly paved area out in front of the collection of smaller buildings before they made to ascend the stairs.

"So…this is where you work?" Grimmjow asked the Kuchiki male as he eyed their destination with a quirked, blue eyebrow and an uncertain expression on his handsome face, following the raven as they walked up the few steps to reach the main doorway, the simple and rather quaint structure having not been what the espada had been expecting.

"Yes," the squad six captain answered Jeagerjaques' curious question as he reached out a partially gloved hand and opened the door for both of them, allowing Grimmjow to step passed him and enter the office room first.

Grimmjow cast him an endearing, sideways glance before doing as he knew was expected of him as he walked into the main foyer of Byakuya Kuchiki's squad offices, immediately noticing the leafy planters that were located in a few of the corners behind an arrangement of chairs.

The design of the interconnected rooms was kept simple, offering light colors that painted the walls while most of the wooden furniture remained dark to draw attention, Grimmjow placing his hands neutrally inside the his pockets as he observed his plain but calming surroundings.

Byakuya politely closed the door behind himself upon entering the room after the sexta espada, noticing with a bit of gladness that Grimmjow seemed to be quite comfortable inside his offices, as he stepped next to his side.

"Captain…Captain Kuchiki, a letter just came in to request the use of our training grounds by a few of the unseated…erm…I forgot that we were having company today," Renji Abarai had exclaimed as he rounded a corner to face his captain and tell him the latest news concerning their squad, but trailed off the moment auburn eyes laid on the bored, tall form of the former espada standing complacently next to his superior.

"Lieutenant Abarai, allow me to introduce to you Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, formally of Aizen's espada," Byakuya decided to address his subordinate's current stunned state in the most formal manner he could, prompting both men to perhaps realize that they needed to act civilly around each other at the moment.

"I sort of remember you…you're a friend of that Kurosaki kid, right?" Grimmjow provided in his typically gruff manner as he narrowed his lovely, cobalt gaze at the bewildered red-haired male, being able to recognize Renji's spiritual pressure as one of the ones that he had felt upon his first, impromptu visit to the World of the Living.

"Uh…y-yeah…" Renji replied to Grimmjow's unexpected comment as he could almost feel the malice starting to bubble to the surface within the espada male upon speaking of the orange-haired vizard.

"Now that we've been properly acquainted, please take a seat, Grimmjow," Byakuya strategically interjected as he motioned further back inside the office to where his desk was located, along with a few visitor chairs kept on the other side.

"Yeah, yeah…"Grimmjow shrugged, ultimately agreeing with the raven's wishes and completely missing how blatantly shocked Renji was upon the latter witnessing the espada obeying his captain without question.

Byakuya watched as Grimmjow entered into his personal office from the foyer, sitting down in one of the simple, wooden chairs facing the desk and windows at the rear, before the noble turned his attention back to his subordinate and cocked a meaningful, black eyebrow at him.

"Oh! Right…"Abarai blurted out upon realizing that his captain was telling him to join them without actually having to say a seemingly impolite word.

Renji hurried in after Grimmjow and sat down in the other seat the spacious office area provided, Byakuya smoothly gliding over to his desk and sitting down in his designated chair.

Kuchiki could not help but notice Grimmjow's bored expression as he deftly retrieved a clean sheet of parchment and his favorite paintbrush with which to take down notes of their conversation, Renji looking quite on-edge about sitting next to Jeagerjaques and acting a witness to the whole ordeal.

"For the record, could you tell me your name and rank…?" Byakuya began easily, not taking his onyx eyes off from his paper as he awaited Grimmjow's feasible answer to an intentionally simple question which was basically just to see if the latter would cooperate with him at all.

"Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, sexta espada," the blue-haired male began a bit cockily, a smirk curving his luscious lips, revealing a single, sharp fang, as he reported such information proudly to his raven-haired caretaker.

"While in Hueco Mundo, approximately how many times per week would you associate with Sosuke Aizen? Byakuya asked plainly, cutting straight the heart of the matter as he did, this time, lift his head up from his papers and look Grimmjow straight in his face.

"I'd say…at least a few times a week I'd see his stupid face. We had meetings where he'd brief us about stuff," Grimmjow answered truthfully in spite of wording such statements in his own, nonchalant manner, which the Kuchiki male knew that he needed to clarify.

"What kind of 'stuff' would the briefings be about, Grimmjow?" Captain Kuckiki asked, genuinely curious as to what the Jeagerjaques espada would say to this more probing inquiry.

Grimmjow smiled even broader before letting his lips slowly come together, a grin still shaping his tanned, chiseled features as he took a little more time to answer this question than the rest.

"He'd give us our missions, serve us tea, that freaky bastard….show us images of who he wanted captured or killed," Grimmjow explained with a frightening calm before pausing to wet his bottom lip with his tongue, "…that's how we found out about Ichigo and his group trying to infiltrate Las Noches…"

"_They must have top-notch surveillance around the entire perimeter of Las Noches to have been able to have real-time feeds of Kurosaki making his way into the building…"_ Byakuya deduced to himself as he busied himself scribbling down such notes onto his form.

"You mentioned missions…what sort of missions would Aizen send you to do?" Byakuya asked smartly, having seen a definite opening in one of Grimmjow's previous statements to ask more about.

"Ah, now that's a tricky one…"Grimmjow chuckled knowingly as he slouched a bit more into his chair, "…the things he wanted us to do were always pretty clear-cut, but…the reasons why we were sent out on these missions were for a completely different purpose."

"Please explain what you mean," Captain Kuchiki said patiently, watching as Grimmjow first cocked his head a little towards Renji, obviously reading his guarded but interesting expression first, before looking back towards the stoic raven.

"That one time I was sent to the World of the Living, it was just a big, ol' distraction to you soul reapers while Ulquiorra nabbed that Orihime girl. It worked like a fucking charm, even if that plan had been made by that asshole Aizen…"Grimmjow clarified sinisterly, his narrowed eyes practically smiling at Byakuya's indifferent face as if challenging the man of noble birth.

The Kuchiki male could not look away, could not force his hand to continue writing as he knew he should, as the noble found that particular look on the blue-haired espada relentlessly alluring, completely entrancing as it spoke of so much restrained but raw power…power that Byakuya wanted to experience in…

"Sir? Uh…are you okay? Perhaps we should take a break," Renji suddenly spoke up, worried, auburn eyes switching from his captain to the grinning, poorly-postured espada next to him as he posed his awkward suggestion.

Then, Grimmjow was on his feet in an instant, stretching his black-clad arms down in front of him, effortlessly catching the avid attention of the squad six members.

"A break sounds great. Come on, Red…let's have us a 'friendly' fight," Grimmjow said in his richly, timbered voice as he finished stretching his arms and made to step around his chair.

"Huh?!" Abarai exclaimed outright, casting his confused expression on his captain who only solemnly nodded to him, granting Grimmjow's request and practically forcing Renji to comply.

"Great…just great…"Renji grumbled under his breath as he also stood up his chair and followed the wily espada out of the office area and back outside, the lieutenant secretly abhorring his newly-created nickname from Jeagerjaques.

Last to rise up from his chair, Byakuya followed the blue and red-haired males out into the paved courtyard before all three strode behind the squad six barracks, Renji murmuring to himself the whole time as Grimmjow strode with vigor in his steps until he and his opponent approached the plain, grassy training area.

The noble stayed back a ways, crossing his arms over his chest as he admittedly felt quite eager to see the two men engage in battle, especially since he knew on a much more personal level that the previously caged espada needed exactly this to feel better.

Byakuya's beautiful, ash-colored eyes lowered only a bit, still keeping his charge and subordinate in view, as he took to thinking more about the revelation he had just made about Grimmjow Jeagerjaques.

"_Fighting is practically the only thing he knows how to do; it was the only reason why Aizen kept him around…his only reason for existing in such a dark, lifeless place,"_ the Kuchiki heir pondering seriously to himself for a moment while Grimmjow walked further out into the designated field so that there was some space in between him and the internally brooding red-haired male.

Grimmjow quickly snapped his head to a side, making his tanned neck crack and deliver him an instant, limbered feeling in such an area, as the espada grinned wolfishly at his soul reaper opponent who was expertly sliding into a traditional kendo stance with his hand grazing the hilt of his sword.

"Well…come on, soul reaper…or do you want me to come to you!" Grimmjow began in a teasingly slow voice before practically shouting the rest, his blue eyes mercilessly intense, as he suddenly sonido-ed from his spot and appeared directly behind the wide-eyed red-head.

"_That's sonido,"_ Byakuya mentally recognized the tactical move from the espada that equally matched the soul reaper's flash step.

Renji had hurriedly drawn his sword, twisting his body around just in time to block the blow that Grimmjow had tried to initially execute with his knee into Abarai's ribs.

"Grr…damn," Renji growled in between grit teeth as he used a brief burst of strength to try to shove Grimmjow back so that he may have proper room to strike with his beloved Zabimaru.

However, having not been moved at all from Renji's push to him from his blocking arms, Grimmjow fluidly turned on his heel to make all of the force Renji was trying to use on him suddenly go towards nothing as the espada thrust an elbow up at the lieutenant's chin.

"_He's fast…knows how to fight at a close range,"_ the on-looking Kuchiki male surmised of Jeagerjaques upon witnessing him make such a knowing maneuver.

The axe of the espada's elbow connected solidly with the underside of Renji's chin, knocking the man's red head backwards and wholly putting him off of his defenses for a few seconds, all the time Grimmjow needed to complete the graceful turn of his body and swing a leg out aiming at Renji's vulnerable stomach.

However, Grimmjow's mid-level kick was dodged as the red-head recovered faster than he had mentally regarded, as Renji suddenly ducked out of the way and jumped back a ways from the massively strong and agile fighter.

"I should have known that I would not be able to fight you without releasing my zanpakuto…so here goes," Renji said in a low voice as he used his gained time to swipe the back of his free hand under his marred, aching chin.

"Roar…Zabimaru!" Renji growled heatedly, his furious words only serving to increase the width of the devilish smile gracing Grimmjow's handsome face as he watched Renji release his shikai.

"…took you long enough," the sexta espada goaded his opponent, watching with glinting eyes as the area around the steaming red-head was suddenly crowded with a seemingly endless swirl of his extended, whip-like sword where jagged blades adorned the edges.

"Ha…!" Abarai shouted, flinging Zabimaru out ahead of him and making the chaotic angles of his stretched-out weapon appear rather unpredictable while the larger end of which headed straight towards the standing blue-haired male.

However, in the time it took Renji to half-way blink his eyes, Jeagerjaques was out of his view.

"What?!" Renji panicked, automatically tilting his head up so he may have a more panoramic view of the space surrounding him, and was greeted by the sight of Grimmjow airborne and reaching out a hand towards the pattern Zabimaru was making.

Grimmjow laughed maniacally as he effortlessly latched his bare hands onto one of the elongated seams of Renji's released zanpakuto, and immediately yanked what he had within his grasp forward in a savage display of reckless strength.

"…_very strong,"_ Byakuya continued to mentally list to himself regarding the blue-haired male's evident fighting capabilities, admittedly feeling a bit proud that such a prominent fighter was under his care and seemed to obey solely him.

Renji cursed as he was abruptly jerked forward into the air where Grimmjow was, the espada tossing away the metal and cords from his hands as he instead used another, blindingly fast sonido.

"Shit! Where'd he go this time?!" Renji said aloud, but quickly gasped as his vision was filled with piercing blue eyes lightly shaded by fallen, sky-colored bangs.

"Hi there!" Grimmjow taunted wickedly as he used one arm to painfully knock Renji's sword arm away, while his other hand gripped the front of the lieutenant's robes.

Byakuya's darkened silver eyes widened, his fingers twitching against his own folded arms, as he watched his red-haired subordinate get hurled down to the ground from their airborne position as if he had been a rag doll to the espada, Grimmjow still standing above the small cloud of dust that had arisen from the collision.

However, the moment Grimmjow's feet touched the ground, a form he had never seen before unexpectedly sprang out from the fading screen of roused earth.

"Hihio Zabimaru…"Renji said quietly, his black robes disheveled and beginning to tear in places across his tattooed frame as he slowly got to his feet in the midst of his skeletal, winding bankai.

"_Renji…careful now,"_ Byakuya internally worried about both of the men he was watching, being able to see the checked anger on his lieutenant's face from where he was standing with relative ease.

"That's pretty cool, Red…" Grimmjow spoke to Renji as if he was speaking to a child as he curved his back and adjusted his stance to a much more casual, careless display, "…it looks just like you."

Renji frowned at Grimmjow's razor-sharp sense of humor.

"What ever happened to 'friendly' fight…?" Renji asked dryly of he smirking, nonchalant espada who did not have a scratch on him or a shift to his clothing.

"Shut up, this is me being friendly…"Grimmjow snapped back with an obnoxious smile as he spread his legs out more and brought his hands out to his sides, ready for anything as the espada could practically smell it in the air, the electricity of how the red-head was about to make his move.

"Hikotsu taiho!" Renji hollered at once, flicking his fur-covered wrist and making his screeching bankai form hastily unravel from around him and shoot out towards Grimmjow's menacing form.

Grimmjow brought his hands together in front of his body as if he was holding a ball, for the instant that the espada spotted a red shape of energy forming inside the skull's huge mouth, Jeagerjagues knew that he needed to produce a cero in order to meet the attack head-on.

Then, in a colliding blast of bright red forces coming from Renji's bankai as well as Grimmjow's hands, the ground shook as winds of dangerously high velocity began to thrash about the open scenery, causing the observing Kuchiki's scarf and hair whip about him from his distanced spot.

As auburn eyes adjusted to the slowing down of the wind speed, Grimmjow swiftly appeared a few feet away from him, wisely using the short time of Renji's skeletal bankai being unfurled to make a direct attack on the Abarai male himself.

"I got you, soul reaper!" Grimmjow roared triumphantly, a hand poised back as he gathered another cero into the center of his palm and closed the distance between himself and the off-guard lieutenant who could not call his bankai back to him quick enough.

However, as soon as Grimmjow was about to release his second cero, soft, slender fingers closed around his wrist as a form gently settled in behind him, the espada jumping a little from such a cautious, mindful halt to his proceedings as he could feel the ends of Byakuya's scarf touching his back.

"That will be enough, you two," Byakuya spoke calmly but solidly to the red and blue-haired males, his hand on Grimmjow's wrist initially unwilling to let go of the warm flesh until the Kuchiki noble felt it inappropriate to hold on any longer.

Grimmjow sighed through his nose as he stood up to his full height, his expression having lessened dramatically from its previous malice and cruel intent to the stoicism and indifference it displayed now, like a wild animal made instantly docile.

Renji breathed a heavy sigh of relief as he relaxed his shoulders, his eyes unable to move away from the now laid-back, blue-haired male in front of him who had been mere seconds away from severely injuring, if not, killing him, and the Abarai was honestly a little wary of dissipating his bankai just yet.

"I think we've done enough for today. Renji, feel free to leave early today after you've cleared the request for the unseated officers to use these training grounds," Byakuya spoke evenly to his subordinate, having remembered what the red-haired male had been in the middle of telling him before they had began their questioning of Grimmjow.

"Yes! I will, sir," the squad six lieutenant replied back dutifully to his unperturbed superior before bowing his head respectfully, feeling a little amazed that Kuchiki had remembered something like that at such a time.

Byakuya nodded at the Abarai male before turning on his heel and proceeding to walk back towards the courtyard from around the barracks, his pace measured enough to let Grimmjow know to follow him straight away.

"Sorry we can't play anymore, Red…see you later," Grimmjow continued to refer to Renji by his nickname before hustling his steps until he could walk next to the departing captain.

"That guy…I hope Captain Kuchiki is gong to be okay with him around…"Renji wondered aloud as he watched the dangerous espada and his esteemed captain whom he respected greatly stride away from the training grounds and back towards the streets of the Soul Society.

"_Brilliant…the way he moves is so powerful; every maneuver made to utilize his strength and excellent fighting knowledge…I did not expect to see him move so fast; he had Renji most certainly in place for a killing blow…"_Byakuya internally praised the espada walking next to him, navigating through the perfectly clean pathways the Soul Society provided right along with him as if nothing had happened at all.

"Well…? Aren't you going to send me back to the twelfth division or whatever? I did almost fuck up your guy back there, so…"Grimmjow's exasperated voice suddenly tore the Kuchiki from his rambling thoughts as Byakuya turned his raven head towards the taller male upon hearing such a prediction.

"No, Grimmjow, I had not intended to send you anywhere else, "Byakuya answered the espada honestly, keeping his ash-colored eyes trained on Grimmjow's face in order to see his reaction to such a statement.

As if to purposefully grant the raven-haired male's wish, Grimmjow turned his head towards Byakuya, brow furrowed in charming puzzlement as he searched the noble's pallid, stunning features.

"If I didn't know any better…I'd say that you like having me around," Grimmjow smirked at the Kuchiki heir beside him as they continued walking down a relatively straight pathway that lead out of that district and back towards Byakuya's family home.

"I guess it's a good thing you don't know any better," Byakuya boomeranged smartly back to the tanned, gorgeous male by his side who immediately laughed out loud in response to the Kuchiki's unforeseeable cheekiness.

"Aw, you're breaking my heart…"Grimmjow joked good-naturedly, pleased as he saw Byakuya's shapely lips curve into a small smile upon hearing such a witty complaint coming from such a handsome person.

X

Fifty-three minutes later, at the Kuchiki manor…

"Ah…it was so good being able to fight someone again…relieve a little stress," Grimmjow spoke aloud to no one in particular, tilting his blue head over to a side in relaxation as he settled his larger, well-honed form even more into the circular tub filled with hot water inside the Kuchiki's master bathroom.

His tanned, incomplete body having been cleansed of any dirt beforehand, Grimmjow simply relished in his designated time to just soak in the extraordinarily huge tub and take however long to relax his muscles and find some peace again.

Blue eyes closed, black eyelashes falling gracefully over the strange, teal markings underneath and around his eyes, as Grimmjow felt the breath filling and leaving his lungs become much more comfortable and even, like he could fall asleep right there surrounded by all that scented, translucent water.

"Is that so…?" Byakuya asked from the opened doorway, the noble having heard what Grimmjow's had said before closing his eyes, the noble wearing his light-colored yukata as it was not uncommon for the Kuchiki to take a nap in the afternoon of his workdays.

"Huh? Oh…yeah," Grimmjow said as he opened his eyes upon hearing Byakuya's silken voice speaking to him, blue eyes covertly noticing how Byakuya had changed out of his usual soul reaper attire and was standing in the bathroom with him right now.

"Good," Byakuya said agreeably as he padded to the granite counter top to face the mirror, the proud noble having already been rid of his headpiece as his lengthy, black mane contrasted starkly with the off-white of his robe, while he appeared to be merely examining his pale face via his reflection.

Behind the raven, Grimmjow could not help but greedily ogle Byakuya's slender, bare ankles that curved elegantly into supple calves before the bottom hem of the yukata shrouded the rest of that lean frame from his narrowed, ocean-blue gaze.

"Care to join me?" Grimmjow asked pseudo-saucily, lifting his toned arms out of the water and resting them on the edges of the cool porcelain sides of the tub, as he hoisted a daring eyebrow and smirked teasingly at the softly-spoken noble.

Kuchiki smoothly turned around to face the tub-confined espada with unreadable, ash-colored eyes, Byakuya not saying a word as he took a few steps forward towards the smirking blue-haired male, prompting the latter to believe that he was seconds away from being dragged out of the water and murdered on the spot.

However, beautiful blue eyes widened, all traces of Grimmjow's sassy humor gone as he beheld the surrealistic sight of Byakuya gracefully letting the light-weight garment fall from his straight shoulders and collect haphazardly on the tiled floor, the Kuchiki wordlessly complying with the sexta espada's suggestion.

Not being able to help the reaction, Grimmjow's lips parted in absolute shock as he watched through disbelieving, astonished eyes as the Kuchiki male, forever poised and polite, perfect and polished, revealed every inch of his creamy, taut body as the raven effortlessly stepped into the tub so that he may face the speechless male and enjoy the bath as well.

Grimmjow had watched steadfastly as each of Byakuya's long legs had slipped into the peach-scented water, followed by his slender abdomen and delicate hands as the raven had seated himself accordingly, and the espada had to literally give his blue head a few shakes to snap out of his trance-like stun before saying anything to the now equally bared male sitting only a mere foot away from him, facing him with those somber grey eyes of his that looked like they could not be troubled by anything.

"…didn't think you'd actually do it," Grimmjow admitted regarding his verbal goading of the noble to join him in the bath, his almost shy, murmured words causing Byakuya to blink his gorgeous eyes at the espada before him while a pleasant smirk curved his lips.

Endlessly empowered by his ability to tame such an unruly man with only a few gestures or words from his mouth, feeling impossibly electric in that he had the upper hand over the brazen and terribly attractive espada, Byakuya Kuchiki narrowed his eyes meaningfully at Grimmjow before quickly wetting his lips prior to speaking.

"You look tense, Grimmjow…perhaps I should help you relax," Byakuya's voice purred in the space between them, sounding like lacey silk to the espada's keen ears, as the Kuchiki fluidly shifted his body forward, causing multiple, overlapping ripples to appear on the water's surface as Byakuya easily moved to sit on Grimmjow's lap.

Again, blue eyes and tanned muscles stilled as Grimmjow shivered briefly from suddenly feeling skin as soft and pale as cotton itself move across his own flesh, the noble male having seamlessly settled his weight on top of the blue-haired male's large, powerful thighs below the water, half-lidded metallic orbs locking onto vibrant cobalt in the process.

"…wow," Grimmjow said in a quiet voice upon blinking his gaze down the lithe, porcelain form now perched directly within his line of sight, the espada barely able to recognize how Byakuya had lightly placed his dripping hands on the solid, flat planes of his chest as the enemy captive had obviously taken to staring in tender awe at Byakuya's sculpt body.

"Tell me, Grimmjow," Byakuya coaxed in a mesmerizing, whispered timber as he affectionately brought either of his hands up to the nape of Grimmjow's neck, cradling the base of his head while letting his fingers tangle in short, feather-soft locks of light-blue hair, noticing how Grimmjow's eyes were no longer looking up into his own as they traced aimlessly over his exposed torso.

"…I don't think I've ever…"Grimmjow began somewhat mindlessly, his eyes still glued onto Byakuya's flat, toned stomach before him as he cautiously lifted his strong hands to the small of the noble's back and slowly trailed them upwards along the fine curves there, "…seen such beautiful skin before…hard to believe that you're a captain of a squad here since your skin is so…perfect."

Byakuya had trembled deliciously on top of Grimmjow's lap, wholly relishing as if in some sort of wonderful dream how those large hands of his were gently but unabashedly running up and down the middle of his curved, moistened back whilst the latter had spoken such mind-warping words to him, bringing the Kuchiki male tingling sensations to be felt throughout his entire body that he had not known in a very long time.

Using his hold on the back of Grimmjow's neck for leverage, Byakuya gingerly tilted the espada's blue head up so that his wistful, blue gaze would meet his own, before the squad six captain slowly dipped his own head down and pressed his petal-soft lips against Grimmjow's tempting mouth in a careful but chaste kiss.

Grimmjow had witnessed the unspoken significance of such an act before it had even taken place right there within the raven's lovely eyes, a brilliant glint of hope and warmth present within the captain's silvery depths before the espada had felt Byakuya's impossibly soft lips press against his own, the subtle strength behind the kiss acting as a question all on its own to the espada.

Responsively, in answer to that silent question presented him, Grimmjow pleasantly closed his eyes and moved his lips right along with Byakuya's supple mouth; accepting his candy-sweet kiss without controlling it, Grimmjow let the Kuchiki kiss him as he pleased while the espada smoothly descended his hands down to the soul reaper's lower back in an appreciative gesture.

The kiss was kept undemanding and simple as the smaller, raven-haired male lingeringly pulled his lips away from Grimmjow's, already missing the feeling of them being connected in that way and honestly wishing for them to advance further in that same regard, as the captain looked upon his handsome, chiseled face and slowly withdrew his hands from around Grimmjow's neck.

"Rest with me before I have to go back to work," Byakuya breathed the idea as he watched Grimmjow open his stunning eyes once more to seek him out, the Kuchiki heir feeling positively intoxicated by their close, welcomed proximity, as he could still feel the espada's lips on his own in spite of how they had already parted.

"Alright," Grimmjow agreed in a charmingly submissive voice, his hands not moving from Byakuya's lower back straight away in favor of slowly letting his fingers trail down the soft, smooth flesh there until his fingertips seemed to just melt away along with the warmth of the water.

Byakuya lowered his gaze, perhaps to somewhat hide his pleased smile, as he scooted back from the deadly espada before him and made to gingerly rise to his feet, Grimmjow quick to follow his example as he also stood up from his spot in the tub and deftly retrieved his towel that had been folded and set aside close to his position.

Grimmjow blotted the blue towel across his chest as he stepped out of the water, before pressing the soft material to his face and simply holding it there for a moment, breathing in deeply, before lowering the towel to one of his arms to continue drying his large frame.

The soul reaper having obviously moved faster than the espada had, Grimmjow stilled temporarily as he felt Byakuya's soft, delicate hand slide across his forearm, prompting the Jeagerjaques male to look up from wrapping the towel around his waist to see the Kuchiki heir already re-dressed in his yukata and proceeding to exit the bathroom.

Grimmjow understood immediately that Byakuya's touch to his arm had been the captain's own way of asking him to hurry, and the espada could not help but comply right away with such a amiable demand of him, the espada taking to merely depositing the blue towel on the bathroom floor in favor of picking his black hakama up from the counter top and effortlessly pulling the wide-legged garment over his legs.

Both men casually transitioned from the bathroom to the master bedroom which was nicely illuminated by the cascading sunlight that seemed to make the watercolor-painted water move along the walls around them, as Byakuya first crawled on top of his huge, white-decorated bed.

Grimmjow blinked his lovely eyes that matched parts of the depicted scenery of the watercolor room, before also mimicking Byakuya's actions of pawing through the cloud-like pillows and collects of the comforter until he was stretching his long, muscular frame alongside the waiting, observing Kuchiki male.

"It's funny you mentioned taking a nap, because I am pretty tired…"Grimmjow yawned cutely as he tried to coherently convey his message to the raven next to him, quite oblivious to the fact that Byakuya was watching him with sharp, hungry eyes that craved much more from him than sheer small-talk and humor.

Consequently, Grimmjow made to turn over on his opposite side with his bare, wide back facing the squad six captain, his blue head settling comfortably against one of the smaller, fuller pillows, but the espada's moment of relaxation was rather short-lived as a result.

Fingertips coasted over the Hollow hole adorning Grimmjow's lower back until Byakuya eased more of his fingers into the black void, quickly pulling the espada back down to lie on his back from his side-laying position, the noble male able to feel the surprised gasp that had initially left the sexta espada upon performing such a ministration.

However, the moment after Byakuya had delivered his little tug to the back of Grimmjow's Hollow hole, the raven-haired male found himself pinned to the pliant cushioning of his mattress as Grimmjow had hastily seized his offending hand and held it down above Byakuya's head while hovering closely above him.

Grimmjow drooped his shoulders a bit as he peered into steel-colored eyes, eyes that practically sparkled with a forbidden challenge towards him, before he exasperatedly brought his face down to the side of Byakuya's neck.

"You have got to stop doing that…makes me fucking crazy…"Grimmjow purred in sultry, legato words against the sensitive flesh of his beautiful caretaker's neck, feeling Byakuya shiver in response from the direct contact to his skin as the noble immediately wanted to press more of his body up against the espada's own frame, to force more contact between them and inevitably experience the small satisfaction of knowing exactly what the powerful man above him felt like.

"Grimmjow…"Byakuya pleaded weightlessly, obligingly turning his head to the side to allow the blue-eyed male more room as he felt the sexta espada boldly run the straight bridge of his nose across his neck, taking in the elegant contours of such a receptive area as Grimmjow let his lips graze over the bottom of Byakuya's jaw.

"You smell so good…"Grimmjow cooed to the soul reaper as he sensuously breathed him in, knowingly sending hundreds of nearly-tangible rivulets of pleasure to course through the lithe raven beneath him as he nosed through some of those midnight-hued tresses, "…unbelievable."

"It's…the bathwater…we probably…share the same scent," Byakuya struggled to say in a complete line of thought, for the man of noble birth could practically feel his mind slipping away from him in massive, overwhelming quantities, his yearning body becoming more and more receptive to every one of Grimmjow's faint breaths and touches against his skin; all of them teasing and all of them absolutely welcomed.

"No…it's not that…"Grimmjow continued in such a manner that it alone made Kuchiki start to shiver with growing, urgent need, need to finally experience what he had long accepted he truly desired from the blue-haired espada above him and currently holding him down, "…I can smell…how much you want me…Byakuya."

"_I can't take it anymore…I need his lips again,"_ Byakuya mentally crumbled underneath the toppling weight of such an arousing atmosphere bred from the one person who intrigued his every sense to its utmost extreme, the Kuchiki only being able to register in this moment how much he honestly did crave the Jeagerjaques male; his whole being bordering on obsessive regarding the blue-haired enemy who knew exactly how to speak to him, touch him, play with him to make the noble nearly forget where he was.

Suddenly, as if in response to the raven's inner-most thoughts, Grimmjow slammed his lips down upon Byakuya's own, parted mouth, claiming those petal-soft lips vigorously as he used his free hand to slide underneath the Kuchiki's slender back in a possessive, enthralling hold.

Byakuya could feel his every muscle, his every line of sinew quickly melting upon having been granted what he wanted as he easily freed his trapped hand from underneath the espada's fingers, so that he could bring both of his hands up to Grimmjow's naked, broad shoulders, gripping the solid fresh hard as the raven positively ushered in a sweet oblivion to otherwise replace his rapidly departing senses.

Grimmjow purred into their heated kiss upon feeling the captain scratch and paw at his shoulders as he was, both men utilizing such an opportunity to bring out their soft, pink tongues and lustfully entwine the two, slippery muscles together in a mutually erotic display.

Their lips closed and closed again so that they may properly kiss each other once more, before parting wide and initiated their purposefully arousing kisses all over again, Grimmjow tasting every inch Byakuya's sweet mouth and Byakuya adamantly letting him do just that.

The raven's body begged for more contact, his taut physique practically sizzling underneath the espada's larger, dominant form, as Byakuya felt Grimmjow purr and purr again upon tasting him, Jeagerjaques seeming to savor everything there was that meant Byakuya Kuchiki, as he splayed his fingers wide against the small of Byakuya's back and let the Kuchiki kiss him back as hard or soft as he wished.

In turn, Byakuya could not remember the last time he had felt so wonderfully thoughtless, so unrestricted in experiencing something this amazing and personal, as he mewled softly, adoringly, into Grimmjow's exploring mouth, cherishing each time the determined espada made long, tantalizing strokes of his tongue against his own before nipping lightly at his lips, the act of receiving measured pleasure and hints of Grimmjow's restrained aggressive towards him nearly driving the noble out of his right mind in how inexplicably sensual it was.

Then, with the need to take a vital breath pressing heavily down upon them, Grimmjow and Byakuya broke their passionate kiss, both panting softly in the small space between them as the espada mindfully freed his arm from around the Kuchiki's back, his flesh sliding against the cotton-soft contours of the comforter as he did so.

"I'm starting to think…that you want me to go crazy," Grimmjow jabbed light-heartedly to the striking soul reaper captain beneath his own, hulking frame, as the espada felt Byakuya's hands slowly trail down from his shoulders and across his sculpt arms.

"Perhaps…"Byakuya's voice came as a mere whisper though the single word meant worlds to the deadly espada above him, watching him with those unimaginable blue orbs that were accented almost too well by the teal coloring around his eyes.

Grimmjow sighed a steadying amount of air from his lungs before carefully flopping down onto his back to rest next to the noble male, casting his calmed gaze over towards the raven who held his warm stare with one of his own, the ambiance being surprisingly peaceful and mutually appreciated between both men who had each internally decided to proceed carefully with the other.

"We should take that nap now…it's not too much longer until you need to head back there, right?" Grimmjow provided a bit awkwardly as he watched as Byakuya smoothly propped his weight up on his elbows, the soul reaper still watching the espada with a serene, knowing expression gracing his diamond-cut features.

"Correct," Byakuya replied honestly yet not without something else, something a bit more meaningful in his voice, as he boldly closed the distance between them by sliding his lightly-clothed body up to Grimmjow's side, automatically laying his raven head down upon the espada's shoulder as if he had been doing so for years.

The blue-haired male said nothing, feeling any other words at this moment were not necessary, as he easily relaxed his tanned body even more against the pillows and blankets behind him, blue eyes blinking tranquilly at the angelic sight of Byakuya nestled securely by his side, touching his arm with lax fingers as the noble closed his eyes and made to fall asleep right where he was; their shared knowledge of their unspoken attraction and reciprocated trust acting as the very elements which enabled them to find comfort in this moment and accept everything that was happening between them.

Grimmjow also closed his eyes, his head still tilted towards Byakuya's unmoving, beautiful form snuggled closely to his side and shoulder, before the espada ran his tongue over his own bottom lip, able to taste the Kuchiki's addictive, sweet taste there one last time, while vaguely mentally registering that the task of falling asleep had become much easier to attain now that he had such a gorgeous, perfect creature in his arms.

_Author's Note_: …yep. XD Oh ho ho, it's going to get super crazy awesome in the next chapter lol. Can't wait! Leave a review, gracias!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Three days later…

"This is such bullshit…"Grimmjow groaned insufferably to his red-haired companion as he leaned against a cream-colored wall inside the squad six offices with his arms crossed over his black-clad chest, "…where the hell did you say Byakuya was again?"

Renji rolled his eyes at the espada's question as he stopped filling out the document he had been working on, the tattooed soul reaper currently sitting at his wooden desk that was rather cluttered with disorganized paperwork, before looking up at the brooding Jeagerjaques.

"Like I told you earlier, _Captain Kuchiki_ is in a meeting with the head captain to report in the information you gave him. He should be back in a little while," Renji explained with a frown, emphasizing the noble's impressive rank to the nonchalant espada who seemed to call everyone by their first name or worse.

"And like I said…bullshit," Grimmjow replied back stubbornly, simply disliking the fact that the raven-haired male was away from him and had been for some time that day in order to fulfill such duties with Head Captain Yamamoto and a few others.

"So, it's bullshit to report in to the head captain?!" Renji roared suddenly, slamming his paintbrush down onto his messy desk at once as the lieutenant gleaned quite the underhanded disgrace made by the espada about the aged, esteemed soul reaper.

"Ha! You catch on quick, Red," Grimmjow taunted the red-head with a wide, rude smile; purposefully using his designated nickname for the crimson-maned lieutenant whom he knew detested it with every fiber of his being.

"Shut up…_Blueberry_," Renji had started to shout back to the leering, blue-haired male standing in front of him, the soul reaper watching in great satisfaction as Grimmjow's intimidating smile immediately dropped from his face upon hearing how Renji practically purred out his new nickname.

"Oh…oh ho ho…it is on…IT IS ON!" Grimmjow hollered with a face-splitting grin as he thumped his palms flat on top of Renji's desk, providing enough force to knock several of the loose forms over so that they spilled onto the floor below, as he glared menacingly across the desk towards the equally enraged Abarai.

In truth, the red-haired soul reaper and the blue-haired espada had actually become relatively good friends over the passed few days where Grimmjow had had to spend large amounts of time in the squad six offices, each finding a similar love for battle and loudly-voiced comments present within the other, which they drew upon in a mutually understood and good-natured fashion.

"YOU'RE DAMNED RIGHT IT'S ON!!" Renji taunted vivaciously back to the pseudo-infuriated espada as he quickly stood up from his desk chair and also slammed his hands down upon his desk, bringing their challenging stares closer.

Suddenly, before another bat of an eyelash could be made, Renji had one knee settled on top of the desk as both men's arms were outstretched and struggling to gain the upper hand of their squabble as they pulled and yanked, swatted and punched at the other.

Grimmjow was able to maintain a solid grip on the front of Renji's robes, bringing the red-head in close as he wrestled them both to the floor, ignoring how the Abarai male had punched him squarely in his jaw on the way down.

"…you hit like a girl," Grimmjow growled out in good humor as he threw a punch at Renji's stomach, trying to maneuver around the soul reaper's leg that was attempting to kick him down flat.

"You look like a girl, you ass!" Renji spat back as he recovered from the blow to his abdomen and made to shove Grimmjow hard in the chest, each man's blows purposefully administered at only a fraction of their true, fighting strength as they tussled about on the floor and rough-housed in good spirits.

"Red!" Grimmjow huffed childishly as he pushed Renji off of him and tried to swing a leg out towards the red-haired male's ankles to trip him.

"Blue!" Renji retaliated with an evil grin, admittedly enjoying their mock battles as he avoided Grimmjow's sweep of his legs and swiftly maneuvered behind the espada and tackled him down.

"Hey, did you hear…"Renji began as he tried to secure Grimmjow's massive arms around his back but failed as the espada knowingly freed his hands and squirmed away from Renji's pinning position at the last minute.

"…did I hear what?" Grimmjow asked calmly as he easily caught one of Renji's punches aimed for his cheek and made to bring up a knee to catch the soul reaper in his lower abdomen.

Renji twisted away from the espada's maneuver and lifted his hands up, ready for the next wave of attacks from Jeagerjaques whilst the continued their rather casual conversation amidst their sociable match.

"Ichigo is in the Soul Society. He arrived this morning and has been…"Renji began rather indifferently but was forced to hush up upon being quickly seized by his shoulders in an iron grip by the wide-eyed, deathly serious espada.

"Ichigo is…here?! Why didn't you tell me this sooner! I've got to find him; do you know where he is?" Grimmjow blurted out at once, catching the lieutenant completely off-guard as the latter simply let the blue-haired man shake him whence he had been rambling and asking him questions.

"Uh…I think by now he should probably be around the squad ten barracks to meet with Captain Hitsugaya, but I don't think that…"Abarai had attempted to complete another thought but was cut off once again.

"That's close to here! I've got to go!" Grimmjow exclaimed enthusiastically in the red-head's face before abruptly letting go of Renji's shoulders and rushing passed him towards the foyer area, the espada making sure to snatch a traditional, black katana that had been displayed on the wall for decoration before promptly stepping out of the facility.

Renji had one, tattooed brow quirked up at Grimmjow's sudden change in behavior as he had watched the espada positively storm out of the office like he had just remembered he was late for a date, the soul reaper more than perplexed about what had just happened.

"I feel like I've told him something that I shouldn't have…"Renji mused aloud, still facing the direction Grimmjow had just exited with a puzzled expression on his face.

X

Meanwhile, at the squad one meeting room…

"He has informed me that Sosuke Aizen only sees his espada as mere 'tools,' meaning that any intricate ideas and plans are typically not disclosed to those of his rank, but we can definitely begin to understand how Aizen thinks by looking at the missions he does have the espada perform," Byakuya Kuchiki reasoned soundly to the head captain who was flanked by his white-haired second, with several other captains standing behind the noble male at attention.

"I see," Head Captain Yamamoto grunted more than clearly spoke as per his advanced age, "…and what of these missions have you been able to learn, Captain Kuchiki?"

"More often than not, they are used as diversionary tactics so someone else may accomplish separate objectives without hindrance," Byakuya answered in an extremely prepared manner, causing several of the captains behind him to 'hmm' thoughtfully and begin to add up some of their own knowledge concerning the crafty enemy.

"This is interesting, Captain Kuchiki;" the head captain continued, his grizzly voice ceasing all side-conversations going on around the room as he continued, "to think that an espada himself would tell us how Aizen's mind works…"

"Indeed, sir," the raven agreed, a smirk desperately wanting to form the noble's luscious lips as he listened to his head captain sound pleased with his developments with Jeagerjaques.

"What else has the sexta espada said? Has he told you any specifics yet?" came Captain Hitsugaya's pleasant but raspy, young voice as the captain of the tenth squad was obviously not back at his office to receive any visitors since he had had to attend said meeting.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, he has," Byakuya answered coolly, now noticing how nearly everyone in the room was hesitating in referring to Girmmjow by his first name as they still insisted on referring to him by his rank as an espada.

"From what Grimmjow has told members of my squad regarding the capture of the human Orihime Inoue, the palace, Las Noches, is subject to complete surveillance and reports directly to Aizen himself should anything raise a flag to their systems. This will make any advances more difficult which we shall need to reconsider," the Kuchiki heir finished dutifully, quite proud of the fact that he had been able to learn as much as he had over his short time with the charmingly cooperative espada whom he honestly could not wait to see once his business was finished.

"I have brought my personal notes of my meetings with the espada to give to you, Head Captain Yamamoto," Byakuya added for good measure, deftly retrieving a few sheets of paper from the inside of his robes and extending them out to the aged soul reaper.

Everyone watched as the bearded, old man accepted the paperwork from Captain Kuchiki and opened up a single eye to look at the determined and rather successful raven subordinate.

"This is most impressive, Captain Kuchiki. I shall have my squad look through these at once," Head Captain Yamamoto informed the relieved noble as he held the papers out to his lieutenant who accepted them with both hands and a respectful bow of his head.

Byakuya Kuchiki bowed his head as well, the mere act of expressing his verbal gratitude over recognition simply not being in his character, as he remained loyally silent should the head captain have anything else to say to him.

"Continue to gather as much information from the espada as you can, Captain Kuchiki, and I shall expect another report in four days' time. Keep in mind that we still need to learn more about the traitor, Sosuke Aizen, and his plans…and that Grimmjow Jeagerjaques' life is at stake should he refuse. This meeting is adjourned!" Head Captain Yamamoto announced in his grumbled timbre, his booming words sending small shivers to run up the Kuchiki's spine as Byakuya was forced to recall their prior agreement regarding the blue-haired male.

Byakuya sighed silently through his nose as he turned around on his heel, preparing to leave at his own pace like everyone else, but suddenly heard a masculine, nonchalant voice to his left.

"So…how's Grimmjow really doing these days?" Captain Kyoraku asked with his usual, lazy grin as he posed his light-hearted but meaningful question to the man of noble birth.

"He has cooperated plenty with my squad and seems to be adhering to protocol quite well," Byakuya Kuchiki answered the conversational inquiry with as much dignity and, admittedly, intimidation as he could manage in his quiet voice.

"What I mean is…is he happy?" the pink-wearing captain of squad eight rephrased patiently to the infamously stoic captain of squad six, watching with hidden interest as Byakuya's schooled features hesitated over such a personal question.

"Perhaps he is," Byakuya replied honestly, noticing straight away how Captain Kyoraku's grin widened on his stubbly face upon hearing the positive answer.

"That's great news, you know, because I have to tell you…"the brown-haired captain continued in his cheerful manner as he and Byakuya began casually walking out of the squad one room and towards the main corridor, "...there's been some talk about letting him in one of the squads."

"Excuse me?" Byakuya blurted out before he could stop himself, his feet automatically coming to a halt in their steps as he demanded to speak more about such a startling matter without continuing their stroll.

"Now, now…there's no need to get all bent out of shape; it's just talk that's been floating around between some of the captains," Captain Kyoraku clarified as he raised his burly hands up in a classic, surrendering gesture to the bewildered Kuchiki.

Truth be told, Byakuya's brief outburst had been out of nothing but pure, unhindered jealousy, and the noble was not entirely certain that that fact had been lost on the secretly perceptive, hat-wearing captain, before he had carefully replaced his indifferent mask and made to hear the rest of the details.

"I see;" Byakuya said in his regained, icy mannerisms as he cast his chilly, half-lidded gaze on the laid-back captain by his side and chatting with him, "thank you for informing me of this news, Captain Kyoraku."

"Not a problem…say…" the brown-haired captain began neutrally before hardening his features a bit as he and Captain Kuchiki turned towards the western end of the district, widening their senses as they had already noticed something was off within the atmosphere, "…did you feel that spike of spiritual pressure just now, or was that just me…?"

"Let's move" the raven-haired captain confirmed sternly as he and the pink-wearing soul reaper abruptly flash-stepped out of view and towards the direction where they could feel massive amounts of unrestrained spirit energy clashing and shifting, as if two, powerful entities were engaged in reckless battle.

X

Eleven minutes earlier…

Grimmjow Jeagerjaques dashed across the wheat-colored rooftops with excitement burning in his eyes, the rogue espada sprinting amidst the towering buildings of the Soul Society in a vanishing blur of midnight black, as he kept his sensing abilities sharp and honed in on the sole source of spiritual pressure that he had weeded out from amongst the others.

The blue-haired male was approaching the main courtyard area that lie before the squad ten facilities at a blinding, impossible speed, his lips shaping a wide, feral smile as he could feel the presence of the one he sought intensify, letting the epsada know exactly where his unsuspecting prey was standing.

With a mighty leap down from the roof that he had been running across, Grimmjow could see Ichigo Kurosaki walking rather aimlessly by himself as he had, no doubt, just been informed that Captain Hitsugaya was not in his office at the time and could not see him.

Blue eyes widened in malicious glee as the substitute soul reaper whipped his orange head up just in time to see Grimmjow land about thirty feet away from him in the courtyard, a look completely unbecoming of the vizard twisting his features as he received, quite possibly, the shock of his life in seeing the sexta espada in the Soul Society and before him now.

"You!" Grimmjow hollered, still smiling crudely at the Kurosaki male as he stood up to his full height from his landing position, immediately sliding into a fighting stance as he eyed the gaping, hesitating substitute.

"You!" Ichigo repeated back at the espada, hurriedly forcing away his surprise and assuming a defensive stance of his own as his right hand reared back and latched onto the wrapped hilt of his heavy zanpakuto.

No other words were currently needed between the two, natural fighters as Grimmjow expertly unsheathed his katana from his left hip and dashed towards the orange-haired male, Ichigo narrowing his chocolate-brown eyes as he drew Zangetsu to meet the espada's first attack that had been aimed to slice his chest open.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo called out heatedly, drawing out a huge amount of energy into the curve of his blade to be surged outwards at his devious opponent.

However, the sheer instant that Grimmjow had felt Kurosaki's blade buzz with the building pressure of his attack, the espada sonido-ed out of the way and out of Ichigo's line of sight, causing the arc-shaped burst of power to fly out in the empty space where Grimmjow had just been.

"Tch," Ichigo voiced in an irritated manner as he quickly turned his head towards the right as soon as Grimmjow Jeagerjaques appeared there, the espada laughing hysterically at Ichigo's failed attack which had torn up quite a bit off the surrounding, stone courtyard.

"Nice one; I'm sure that tiny captain is just going to love that! And they call me a menace…HA!" Grimmjow jeered before using another sonido to hasten his rush-attack to the glaring substitute soul reaper, their swords clashing in an ear-splitting clang that seemed to reverberate all throughout the area as the two fighters peered closely at one another but for entirely different reasons.

"What the hell…are you doing here, Grimmjow…?" Ichigo managed to ask in one try as he struggled to resist the brute force of the espada's strength, all of it pressing down by the length of his slender blade that scraped and gnashed angrily against the much thicker Zangetsu.

"…like I'm going to tell you, moron! Now just shut up and fight, Ichigo Kurosaki!" Grimmjow voiced heartily as he deftly forced Ichigo back a few feet with a violent shove against his blade, making the orange-haired soul reaper slide back against the stone on his feet.

"I'm going to end this now, you bastard! Bankai!!" Ichigo growled out, gritting his teeth together as he extended out his large blade towards the blue-haired espada who looked as if he could not care less about what the Kurosaki male was doing at the moment.

In a short gust of wind that ruffled Grimmjow's black robes and pushed against his short locks of sky-blue hair, Ichigo stood before him with his long, thin black blade that sported an equally black chain to dangle from the end of the hilt, the tiny metal loops jangling a bit amidst the small breeze before either man moved.

In a purposefully smug gesture not unlike the one he performed whence battling Lieutenant Abarai, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques' only response to witnessing Ichigo's bankai was a swift crack of his neck to a side, a single, blue eyebrow quirked up uncaringly at the substitute even though the latter was glaring hard at him.

"Tensa Zangetsu…"Ichigo said quietly, almost solemnly, before he and his espada opponent abruptly vanished into thin air but only to reappear mere inches away the other with their swords banging heavily against each other, the vizard able to handle more of Grimmjow's awesome power in this form.

"Grr…you look even…dumber than I remember, Kurosaki," Grimmjow voiced in his rough timbre, slightly strained from their intense struggle as he managed to knock Ichigo's zanpakuto to a side and bring up a fist in a classic upper-cut to the soul reaper's chin.

"…gyah…ugh…!"Ichigo groaned in horrendous pain as his orange head was suddenly forced backwards with the fierce blow that rocked his jaw, before the vizard instantly felt Grimmjow follow up with such a defense-breaking move with a simultaneous kick to his stomach.

"_He's always been better at close-range fighting…damn…but I can match his speed,"_ Ichigo mentally told himself as his back collided solidly with the unforgiving stone surface, the brown-eyed male able to see through the haze of his pain that the espada was already on the move again to continue his onslaught.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo yelled out, swinging his long, inky blade and casting a huge burst of power to come hurdling towards the advancing espada, Grimmjow still smirking at he leapt high into the air to narrowly avoid such a powerful attack that he knew would harm him at such a close proximity.

Grimmjow's high leap into the clear, afternoon sky bought Ichigo some time to hurriedly get to his feet, the vizard admittedly, but not without a hefty amount of lamentation coursing through him, considering forming his Hollow mask and becoming exponentially more powerful so that he could properly exceed the advanced sexta espada.

"_No, I won't…not here…"_Ichigo internally feuded with himself, unfortunately distracting himself with such a personal burden as the blue-haired enemy suddenly appeared right behind him, the latter having used a sonido to arrive at a such a place from his airborne position, and Kurosaki barely had enough time to begin turning his head around to see sharp fangs bared his way before he was swiftly knocked down to the ground.

Grimmjow laughed out loud, causing the jaw-like fragment of his Hollow mask to also cackle along with him, as he watched Ichigo flatten out on his stomach with a subtle 'oof' escaping him upon receiving the sharp, kick to the middle of the vizard's back.

However, it was just at this moment of Ichigo's hesitation and Grimmjow's tactical maneuver that several captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads arrived via flash step to the perimeter of the spacious but now partially demolished stone courtyard, all eyes directed onto the perplexing scenario playing out before them.

"Well, I must admit, he does look happy alright," Captain Kyoraku chimed in light-heartedly with a chuckle, his words being said specifically to Captain Kuchiki who had discretely widened his charcoal-colored eyes at how Grimmjow flipped a pained, cursing Ichigo over onto his back and crouched down above him in a taunting manner.

Byakuya narrowed his lovely eyes at how Grimmjow curled a fist into the front of Ichigo's fitted robes across his chest, the espada squatting over him and saying something to the infuriated vizard that the Kuchiki could not hear clearly.

"_What does he think he's doing…they are too close…"_the raven-haired noble mentally chewed he watched Ichigo shout something back to a still smiling Grimmjow who only laughed in the vizard's face in response, ravenous fury still present within both man's features as they exchanged a few more, rude words in the midst of their battle.

Suddenly, a terribly dark, suffocating presence made itself known right beside the secretly perturbed Kuchiki noble, making him tear his eyes away from the scene and look towards the source of such bloodthirsty power that had appeared.

Captain Zaraki was surrounded in a glowing, golden light, laughing maniacally as his one, visible eye was practically teeming with the need to slash and kill, as the eleventh squad captain only spared a moment to stay in that spot before dashing over towards Grimmjow and Ichigo on the courtyard.

"Now this…looks fun!!" Kenpachi roared ferociously, the meaning behind his words bordering on clinically insane as he raced towards the two, squabbling men, just as Grimmjow was letting a very agitated Ichigo up so they may begin battling properly once more.

Byakuya Kuchiki had heard the battle-obsessed captain's ominous words clear enough as the latter had made to progress even more towards the blue and orange-haired males who had locked blades once again, but only a single thought, as unmarred as crystal itself, occurred to the observing squad six captain.

"_He might hurt Grimmjow,"_ Byakuya internally surmised straight away, seeing as how the sexta espada was closest to the onlookers in spite of having his back to them all, including the rapidly approaching Zaraki male who was already drawing his jagged-edged zanpakuto from its sheath.

Byakuya flash-stepped in an instant, able to pinpoint precisely where Kenpachi Zaraki would be whence he appeared again from his highly-skilled, soul reaper maneuver.

All at once, the downward swing from Captain Zaraki's sword that had been meant for Grimmjow's unsuspecting and preoccupied form was met with the strong counter swing from Senbonsakura in a tingling clang of hardened steel.

"Huh?" Grimmjow murmured with another lift of a thin, blue eyebrow, Ichigo also muttering some kind of similar question from in front of him, as the espada looked over his shoulder and towards Byakuya Kuchiki who was currently crossing blades with another soul reaper captain, ultimately protecting him.

"Get out of my way," Kenpachi said in an overly-bored manner to the glaring, personally offended noble who struggled a bit under such staggering pressure from the squad eleven captain's massive strength.

"You are out of line, Captain Zaraki. Stand down!" Byakuya said heatedly, raising his pleasant voice at the last of his statement, which, frankly, caught the eye-patch-wearing captain a little off-guard to hear such anger from the typically serene and collected captain.

"Why should I? I was just going to join in on the fight, you know…"the unruly captain explained pseudo-innocently in his husky baritone which, by itself, bypassed all efforts of him trying to make his actions seem just, the two captains' zanpakutos still connected as they fought momentarily with their words instead.

"Grimmjow, step away from the substitute soul reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki, right now," Captain Kuchiki instead directed the no-nonsense order to his blue-haired charge behind him, steel-grey eyes still glued harshly onto the scarred captain before him, as his change in tactics had been completely deliberate.

Multiple gasps and quiet conversations could be heard as the observing captains Kyoraku, Hitsugaya, and Ukitake, along with a few respective lieutenants, watched in amazement as Jeagerjaques wordlessly obeyed Byakuya Kuchiki's order, the sexta espada seeming to have little to no qualms about turning his back to the stunned vizard and sliding his borrowed katana back inside its elegantly-designed sheath, effectively ending the fight and cause for Kenpachi's provocation.

Grimmjow's features displayed nothing but quiet indifference as he dutifully stepped closer to Byakuya's side and away from Ichigo who could not believe his wide, brown eyes, as the latter blinked and blinked again but the image of Grimmjow having immediately abided Captain Kuchiki's words was still present.

Captain Zaraki noticed that he had reached a moot point with all those involved; as he grouchily drew back his zanpakuto from the smaller raven's Senbonsakura and swept his battle-hardened gaze lazily over all three males standing before him.

"Tch…what a waste of time…and here I thought I was going to get in a little exercise," Zaraki complained with long, drawn-out words as he promptly turned his back on his fellow captain who had successfully defended the espada in front of many of his most trusted comrades in arms.

Byakuya could not help but briefly dart his sharp, onyx gaze from person to person in order to glean some kind of reaction from the people who had witnessed everything that had just happened; and, despite how the Kuchiki male did not show any sign of acknowledgment to any one of them, the noble was not entirely disappointed with the expressions he was able to see.

Captain Kyoraku had his straw hat tipped down a bit but only in a gesture of respectful modesty as he grinned in good faith and had his eyes comfortably closed.

Kyoraku's lieutenant, Nanao Ise, had her dark eyebrows quirked up as if trying to solve a math problem, as she kept a hand pressed to the side of her shining glasses so they remained in place.

Captain Ukitake smiled warmly at Byakuya, knowing that, in aspects of civility, what he had done had been the right thing to do by not allowing for Grimmjow to become some target practice or spectacle right there for all to judge.

Captain Hitsugaya was devastated that the once flawless span of concrete that made up the impressive courtyard outside of his squad was in ruins; Lieutenant Matsumoto trying to cheer him up as she insisted on hugging his head to her large bosom and telling him that it was not as bad as it looked.

Standing next to the fuming Hitsugaya, Renji looked absolutely pleased with how the situation had turned out, as the red-haired soul reaper had picked up on the growing attraction between his chilly captain and their blue-haired prisoner since the beginning.

Abarai was quite content that Byakuya Kuchiki had acted in the manner that he had and felt almost a little proud of his older, wiser superior officer whom he knew would not have taken such outgoing measures for just anyone.

Beside Renji, Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa were chatting amongst themselves, the pair having naturally followed their captain the moment he had sniffed a battle in the air, and were now discussing the peculiar outcome of Zaraki being turned down.

"Let's go, Grimmjow," Byakuya solemnly closed his eyes as he was able to take only a single step forward before a curt, shrill voice brought his venture to a halt from behind him.

"Wait a second, Byakuya…"Ichigo Kurosaki had demanded, the vizard still clutching tightly onto his long, jet-black zanpakuto, his words causing Byakuya to open his eyes again but not turn around while he finished, "…what the hell just happened? Why is an espada here in the Soul Society?!"

"Hmph," Grimmjow scowled at Ichigo's offending words, shoving his tanned hands into his hakama pockets as he only turned his frame around half of the way as he gave the outraged orange-haired male a crooked, sideways glare.

"I do not believe that it any of your concern, Ichigo Kurosaki," Kuchiki answered smoothly, but was immediately responded to since the vizard had apparently already figured that the stoic noble would have tried to merely shrug off any of his questions.

"Like hell it isn't any of my business!" Ichigo defended himself justly to the raven-haired male who still had his back turned to both Grimmjow and Ichigo who were looking at each other with daring contempt in their eyes, "I demand to know why he's here…and why the hell is he following your orders, Byakuya?! "

Byakuya sighed, knowing without having to look that the substitute soul reaper was getting too riled up for his own good, as he closed his eyes again before answering as straightforwardly as he could.

"If you must know, Grimmjow was captured and brought here shortly after your fight in Hueco Mundo," the Kuchiki heir explained calmly, feeling Jeagerjaques stir a little uncomfortably behind him before, ultimately, moving even closer to his side, "…and now he has been assigned as my charge."

"Your…charge…?" the orange-haired male asked dumbly which the Kuchiki could not help but instantly ignore in favor of directing his next sentence to the sexta espada beside him.

"Come now, Grimmjow; there's something we need to discuss," the soul reaper captain abruptly announced for especially Ichigo to hear so that he would know that Byakuya intended to answer no more of his questions.

"Ah, hey…!" Ichigo attempted to halt the icy squad six captain once more, but his words had come too late, for the raven-haired male along with a evilly smirking Grimmjow by his side had hurriedly flash-stepped and sonido-ed out of his sight and away from so many watchful eyes.

X

Twenty-seven, excruciating, silent minutes later…

Byakuya and Grimmjow walked quickly through the extensive corridors of the Kuchiki manor, the blue-haired male admittedly trailing after the unreadable noble with a bit of jagged guilt weighing uncomfortably inside his stomach.

Jeagerjaques could sense that the Kuchiki male was furious with him for starting a scene with the substitute soul reaper which could have very-well compromised his measures of freedom and life whilst being in the Soul Society, as they approached the master bedroom which Byakuya entered just as swiftly as how he had been striding through the house.

Grimmjow pouted and silently sighed to himself before saying what had been burning on his tongue for nearly the past half-hour whilst being basically throttled by the Kuchiki's rampant spiritual pressure.

"Look, I'm sorry for what happened today…I shouldn't have gone after the twerp like I did, so I'm really sorry about…"Grimmjow had said in a purposefully drone-like voice as he padded inside the watercolor room after the raven, his words much like how an unrepentant child would beg forgiveness from a parent, but was suddenly cut off in the middle of his thought upon being forced backwards into the nearest wall.

Byakuya Kuchiki was glaring hard into Grimmjow's face, his forearms pressing firmly into the espada's collarbone to keep him pinned against the grey and white wall, as he waited for brilliant blue eyes to open and meet his own before speaking.

"You…have been behaving very badly, Grimmjow," Byakuya silken voiced poured over the immediately enraptured espada who could deduce straight away that this was not what he had been expecting from the captain, "…tell me again…how sorry you are…"

"I'm…sorry…"Grimmjow voiced even though his mind was currently blanking in the midst of being able to feel Byakuya's strong, lithe body press wholly against his own, Jeagerjaques able to smell the light plum scent of the noble's flesh that just seemed to make his every purred but vicious word that much more pleasurable to experience.

"Again," Byakuya ordered in smoothed, measured syllables as he began retracting his pale forearms from Grimmjow's chest, the noble taking careful steps backwards as he slowly brought his hands up to the overlapping folds of his robes, his actions seeming to only ensue from Grimmjow's obedience.

"…I'm sorry," Grimmjow said mindlessly, his teal-marked eyes absolutely glued to how the Kuchiki's delicate fingers were painstakingly inching down multiple layers of robes from the raven's pale chest and supple shoulders so that the garments could be easily discarded.

"Then get on your knees," Byakuya followed up his seemingly tyrannical demand for apologies in a noticeably saucy tone, his significant, white haori and soul reaper robes falling down his long, lean arms until all of the frivolous fabric simply piled onto the floor as if they meant nothing at all.

Grimmjow's lips parted in body-freezing astonishment, the espada registering the fact right away that he would never truly be ready to see the sight of such perfect skin, as he eyed with immense appreciation the huge contrast of Byakuya's slim, milky torso with that of his wide-legged, coal-black hakama that still hung down from his narrow hips.

However, aside from the Kuchiki's flawless body being effortlessly presented to him, what captivated the gaping espada the most…were Byakuya's fierce eyes – their power was held in their restraint, their soft questioning that was never voiced, as the raven kept his expectant, intoxicating stare on Grimmjow's handsome features.

Wordlessly, Grimmjow knelt down onto the carpeted floor, sinking his weight down onto one knee before distributing it evenly onto them both as he peered up at the pleased noble through the lovely haze of his lashes and growing infatuation with their impromptu 'bedroom' game, the espada's larger body beginning to almost tremble in anticipation, to fulfill even more of the beautiful man's orders of him.

"Good boy," Byakuya taunted sexily as he stepped even closer to the wondrously obedient enemy with the form and frame not unlike those of Greek gods, the Kuchiki already in love with the view of Grimmjow submissively on his knees before him, adhering to his every word.

_Author's Note_: More on the way!! Believe it! XD Btw, yep…it was super important that some of the captains were able to see Grimmjow obeying Byakuya and stuff…way important lol. Love this fic? Hate it with a passion? Leave a review and tell me your deal, yeah?


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"…I'm sorry," Grimmjow said mindlessly, his teal-marked eyes absolutely glued to how the Kuchiki's delicate fingers were painstakingly inching down multiple layers of robes from the raven's pale chest and supple shoulders so that the garments could be easily discarded.

"Then get on your knees," Byakuya followed up his seemingly tyrannical demand for apologies in a noticeably saucy tone, his significant, white haori and soul reaper robes falling down his long, lean arms until all of the frivolous fabric simply piled onto the floor as if they meant nothing at all.

Grimmjow's lips parted in body-freezing astonishment, the espada registering the fact right away that he would never truly be ready to see the sight of such perfect skin, as he eyed with immense appreciation the huge contrast of Byakuya's slim, milky torso with that of his wide-legged, coal-black hakama that still hung down from his narrow hips.

However, aside from the Kuchiki's flawless body being effortlessly presented to him, what captivated the gaping espada the most…were Byakuya's fierce eyes – their power was held in their restraint, their soft questioning that was never voiced, as the raven kept his expectant, intoxicating stare on Grimmjow's handsome features.

Wordlessly, Grimmjow knelt down onto the carpeted floor, sinking his weight down onto one knee before distributing it evenly onto them both as he peered up at the pleased noble through the lovely haze of his lashes and growing infatuation with their impromptu 'bedroom' game, the espada's larger body beginning to almost tremble in anticipation, to fulfill even more of the beautiful man's orders of him.

"Good boy," Byakuya taunted sexily as he stepped even closer to the wondrously obedient enemy with the form and frame not unlike those of Greek gods, the Kuchiki already in love with the view of Grimmjow submissively on his knees before him, adhering to his every word.

"Now...Grimmjow..."Byakuya spoke again to the inebriated espada at his fingertips, as the noble lifted up both of his hands and gingerly slid his long fingers through silken locks of sky-blue hair, combing them back from the espada's brow whilst he instructed him once more, "...I want you to use that crude mouth of yours on me...until I tell you otherwise."

Grimmjow blinked slowly up at Byakuya's angelic face, nearly purring from the unrushed ministrations to his scalp, as he gingerly lifted both of his hands up to the white obi wrapped around the raven-haired male's slender hips, rough, calloused hands taking their time in unraveling the fabric from the soul reaper with almost painstaking care.

Byakuya shivered briefly the moment Grimmjow had succeeded in untying his obi, his hands never ceasing in their light but encouraging petting of the espada's hair, as he watched as Jeagerjaques sensuously licked his lips to moisten them as the latter carefully pulled down the noble male's black hakama and revealed even more of the captain's enticing, porcelain body.

"Grimmjow..." Byakuya said mindlessly, his grip on short, blue tresses tightening slightly, as he felt the espada run the flat of his tongue against the very tip of his leaking, throbbing member, Grimmjow's ministrations being surprisingly savoring with him, as Jeagerjaques' warm tongue lingered on Byakuya's satin flesh as he tasted him with gentle laps that smeared the raven's smooth precome along his length.

"Mmm..." Grimmjow hummed in his throat upon experiencing Byakuya's unique, forbidden taste at last, as the espada obligingly parted his lips wide along the soul reaper's thick head, taking the noble's rigid cock further into his mouth at a most maddening, bittersweet pace, wanting the disciplined soul reaper to absolutely lose his mind before he was finished.

"Nnh...that's right, Grimmjow...swallow all of it..." Byakuya's rich voice coasted through the extraordinary room, nearly setting Jeagerjaques' blood on fire within his veins, as he lifted both of his hands to either of Byakuya's hips, taking hold of his soft, white flesh, perhaps to anchor himself down to the ground, as he continued to let his lips travel up and down along the noble's impressive length at an increasing rate.

"Haa...g-good...mmn...yes...just like that..." Byakuya groaned breathlessly to the blue-haired male knelt in front of him, the black-haired male almost wanting to bend his body over to try to curl around the source of his pleasure as he could physically feel Grimmjow relaxing his throat to take even more of him with each pass he made in between those bewitching lips of his, the effect of which was quickly robbing Kuchiki of his better judgment and ability to think logically as he wholly allowed himself to be lulled into the far depths of ecstasy that the handsome espada was giving him.

Just the same, Grimmjow loved how vocal the usually tight-lipped soul reaper was being at this moment, the latter's words to him coursing right through him with white-hot fire that pooled low in his groin that only motivated him to do more with the fairer man, as he dug his tongue into the sensitive underside of Byakuya's dripping, solid cock whilst they both moved together, the blue-haired male letting Byakuya's hips come forward within his grasp as he positively drowned in the the sharp, staggered gasps for air that Byakuya initiated.

"Ah...so good, Grimmjow...feels so good...keep going..." Byakuya's moaned order made Grimmjow smile around the noble's long member moving in and out of his mouth, as the espada remained somewhat mindful of his sharp teeth while allowing the devastatingly sexy Kuchiki heir to chase his pleasure as he saw fit with him, each thrust of Byakuya's delicious sex in between Jeagerjaques' lips being firmer and more desperate than the last.

Byakuya arched his slender back in a divine display, quite unable to help the way his aching hips thrust forward into Grimmjow's willing, warm mouth that squeezed around his every inch wonderfully so, as he scratched his nails against the espada's scalp in his building, mind-breaking pleasure, loving how he, in turn, could feel Grimmjow's hands grip at his thighs even tighter, the previous enemy wanting, begging for the noble to find his release with him.

"Grim...Grimmjow...getting close...so close..." Byakuya's picturesque body trembled as he remained in his graceful arch, his every muscle and sinew feeling as if they might melt away this very moment from the unbelievable, pleading intensity with which Grimmjow used to swallow around his intruding member over and over again, the espada's sinful lips and velvet cavern seeming to perfectly coax orgasm from the moaning soul reaper in his embrace.

In an unconscious act, Byakuya opened his stormy, grey eyes that he had not even realized he had previously closed, and could not help but cast his gaze down to the object of his desires giving him pleasure, and it was then that Byakuya felt the last of his personal restraints finally break, his accumulated pleasure snapping like a cord stretched too thin inside of him.

"G-Grimmjow...haa...I'm coming...ohh...coming...!"Byakuya's elegant voice rose in pitch as he kept his eyes transfixed on the sight of his pulsating cock being hastily swallowed by a serene, pleased Jeagerjaques who scratched his nails down either of Kuchiki's thighs in raw approval as the noble released his warm, milky come deep into his lover's throat in multiple, bone-melting spurts that made his toes curl and vision blur from such overpowering sensations.

Keeping his hold on Byakuya's sporadically quivering hips as the latter gradually eased back into reality from his elated state of bliss, Grimmjow smirked as he let the raven-haired male's still-hard cock slip from in between his lips, a small line of the noble's translucent come sliding down the espada's chin as he spoke to the delightfully dazed soul reaper captain.

"What would you have me do now...my Master..." Grimmjow purred in his tantalizing rough tone from behind his smirk at the delectably sated Kuchiki heir before him, the espada absolutely in love with the sheer volume of unabashed need he could see in the noble's stunning face as they regarded one another.

"...take me to bed...now," Byakuya said at once, his voice heavy with his pressing need to experience more with the talented espada, to be able to feel even more of him...all of him...as the task was now no longer negotiable or something to even consider – the highly-revered noble of the Soul Society needed the sexta espada.

Grimmjow growled from such an erotic order, his cobalt eyes narrowing dangerously as he suddenly wrapped his bronze arms along Byakuya's legs and hoisted the smaller male off the ground as he stood up from his spot, their faces inches apart as the pale-skinned noble threw his arms around Jeagerjaques' shoulders for support.

"...anything you say, Master..." Grimmjow's gruff whisper made Byakuya shiver against his chest in uncontrollable excitement before the soul reaper craned his head forward and slowly licked up the line of his own completion from Grimmjow's chin to the corner of his mouth, his sultry gesture making Grimmjow sigh in pleasure before their lips naturally came together in a fiery kiss.

Grimmjow could not help but groan breathlessly upon being met with so much consuming, desperate passion coming from the raven-haired beauty in his arms as he walked them both to Byakuya's impressive bed, the espada leaning over the expansive mattress so he may lay the noble down as he had asked, their opened mouths pressing and pushing hotly against one another as the two lovers swirled their highly-receptive tongues together in furious, wonderful battle that required no victor.

Then, startling the blue-haired male a bit, Byakuya suddenly captured Grimmjow's full bottom lip in between his straight, white teeth, commanding the sexta espada's unyielding attention, as the squad captain latched his hands onto the front of Grimmjow's black robes while delivering a lustful nip to the espada's sensitive flesh.

"...these come off," Byakuya demanded in a delightfully stern voice of his larger, dark-skinned lover, leaving no room for any kind of argument, as he violently tore apart the material he had had in his pale hands as he hastily stripped Grimmjow of his traditional, soul reaper attire where he stood.

"I love it when you're pushy..." Grimmjow smirked around his teasing comment as he allowed Kuchiki, who was sitting up on the bed with his toned legs spread wide before him, to pull the black and white garments away from his perfectly sculpt body, blue eyes peering intently into Byakuya's determined face and steel-colored eyes fixated solely on his scarred, tattooed flesh being exposed.

However, Grimmjow's playful mannerisms faded in an instant to instead be replaced by something else, something much deeper and more consequential, as Byakuya tilted his raven head up to look solemnly into his lover's gorgeous face whilst he brought his hands to either of Grimmjow's hips, Kuchiki intentionally slowing down their blind haste as he took his time inching down Grimmjow's black hakama.

In the midst of such an intoxicating haze bred by the heated, significant moment, the typically foul-mouthed espada felt his breath falter inside of his lungs as he watched as the seductive noble parted his sakura-colored lips in a silent plea towards him, such an intimate gesture brought on by how personal and close they were with one another right now which Grimmjow had honestly never seen directed his way prior to this.

No point in time had ever felt so fragile and light, like something priceless and rare to be cherished, to the brash, fight-loving espada warrior up until this moment...this moment where he was looking down upon the most beautiful person he had ever seen who, in turn, was wholly trusting him, wanting his pleasure, and looking back up at him with impossible affection present in his eyes.

"Byakuya...are you sure about this...?" the considerate question flowed somberly from Grimmjow's lips as he let the Kuchiki heir finish ridding him of his clothes in provocatively slow movements, the raging fire once occurring between them having seamlessly transformed into a simmering, welcoming embrace in which it could be understood that what truly was happening between them was much more sensual and connecting for them both.

Almost in reply before he gave his verbal response, Byakuya slid his hands up either of Grimmjow's powerful thighs, the steel-eyed male relishing in how unbelievably smooth the espada's tanned skin felt beneath his roaming hands, before Byakuya wrapped his fingers around his lover's bulging biceps and tugged the man forward, making Grimmjow have to climb up onto the mattress and follow him further on the lush, cloud-like bed.

"...nng...ha..."Grimmjow breathed quietly upon sliding his god-like body against Byakuya's fairer, leaner frame, the delicious friction of his straining cock grinding against Byakuya's own solid member proving to be far more mind-breaking than he could have imagined as the blue-haired male settled his weight on his arms that he pillared on either side of the angelic-looking nobleman.

Byakuya licked his tempting lips as he smirked knowingly at his blue-eyed lover's erotic reaction, before the raven spoke in a hushed voice unwilling to shatter the ethereal magic of such a razor-sharp moment where either man could practically taste the electricity inside the room.

"I want you to make love to me, Grimmjow...tell me that you will..." Byakuya had meant to say the last part of his thoughts as more of a command, similar to those whence they had been wrapped up in their colorful bedroom game, but the words had escaped him had been much more tender and whispered for only him to hear, perhaps alluding to the fact that the situation genuinely was just as serious as his words had been.

Unable to help the action, as the vibrant sparks which had reverberated throughout his body as a result of hearing Byakuya's emotional words to him, Grimmjow crushed their lips back together, giving the dark-haired male beneath him all of his answers from how much unbridled want there was present in the way he used his own lips to push open Kuchiki's before sliding his tongue inside that addictive, candy-sweet cavern once more, knowing that he would never tire from such a phenomena as it were.

"Mmh...mmn..."Byakuya purred amiably, trailing his hands up Grimmjow's sturdy, well-muscled arms on either side of him, his body nearly trembling from how languidly the espada swept his soft tongue, against his own velvet muscle, delivering quick flicks to his tip before closing his lips around Byakuya's tongue and sucking lightly, purposefully reminding the enthralled Kuchiki of his previous ministrations to his throbbing member only a few moments ago.

However, just as the raven was about to physically pull his tingling lips and tongue away from Grimmjow so he could beg for more, the blue-haired male suddenly broke off their blood-igniting kisses in favor of his trailing his warm tongue down the smooth column of Kuchiki's throat, the sexta espada having to lower even more of his amazing body down onto the soul reaper as he began descending his attention on Byakuya's snow-white frame.

"Ah...G-Grimm...jow...mmn...haa..." Byakuya struggled to speak solidly as he could not help but lift his body a little off of the mattress, pressing even more of his heated, yearning flesh into the powerful physique hovering above him who was administering cotton-soft pleasure to be felt all over and make him even more light-headed with building, unbearable desire, as the noble brought up his hands to the back of Grimmjow's neck, tangling his fingers in the short wisps of sky-blue located there.

Petal-soft lips moved hotly down Byakuya's perfect collarbone, allowing the black-haired man to feel how heavy his breathing had become as a result of being so intimate with the gorgeous noble like this, as Grimmjow rested his weight on his forearms and smoothly lowered his head down to the Kuchiki heir's chest, capturing a hardened bud of pink flesh in between his lips as he savored how Byakuya massaged his neck and delivered little pulls to his cropped tresses.

"Ohh...haa...Grimmjow...please..." the squad six captain pleaded breathlessly, aimlessly, as he writhed underneath the tanned espada's delicious torture that made his blood race through his veins, his toes tingle, and his erection pulsate with even more desperate need in between their grinding bodies, the noble's heavenly frame feeling even more anxious and on-edge the more Jeagerjaques nipped at his sensitive flesh before running the flat of his tongue over the worried areas and then blowing cool air over his chest.

Carefully, Grimmjow released Byakuya's nipple from in between his sharp teeth and cast his piercing blue eyes right into half-lidded metal-colored ones, tanned hands mindlessly running up and down along Kuchiki's slender sides before Grimmjow freed one and brought it up to the raven's sex-inspiring mouth, touching Byakuya's luscious bottom lip with a few of his battle-roughened fingers.

"I don't think...I could ever hurt you...just you..." Grimmjow confessed gravely as he observed with unwavering interest that threatened to drown him pleasantly as Byakuya obligingly parted his lips wider so that the espada could slip two fingers inside his mouth.

Laving his tongue in a tauntingly seductive manner along Grimmjow's intruding fingers, Byakuya blinked slowly at the espada's meaningful words to him, letting them saturate his already severely compromised mind, as he swirled his velvet muscle around and in between the espada's long digits before gently kissing the tips, watching as the blue-haired male swallowed hard at such a shamelessly erotic display meant only for him.

His fingers properly moistened with Kuchiki's own saliva, Grimmjow gingerly retracted his hand and placed it on the noble's flat, trim stomach before running it slowly down the smooth contours of his lover's lower abdomen, glazed, intrigued sapphire eyes watching Byakuya's lovely features intently as he trailed his fingers over the captain's begging member and then continued lower still.

"Tell me, Byakuya...how long have you wanted me to do this to you...?" Grimmjow purred the sultry question to his groaning lover as he circled the tips of his fingers around Kuchiki's puckered opening, teasing the softly writhing soul reaper with fleeting, maddening pleasure as the espada awaited an answer.

Byakuya brought his own hands up over his head to rest against the many, overstuffed pillows that lie there, his back mildly arching with every ghost of pass of Grimmjow's fingers made against his most sensitive area, the sexta espada only partially slipping a single digit inside the dazed raven's body as the latter lifted one, slender leg and slid it up Grimmjow's arm until he could drape the toned limb on top of the blue-haired male's broad shoulder, effectively inviting the blue-haired male in even deeper.

"...since...that time I saw you in the squad two jail cell...I've wanted this..." Byakuya confessed with some difficulty but was instantly rewarded for his truthful words as Grimmjow suddenly plunged his fingers hard inside his exquisite lover, making Kuchiki moan loudly to the ceiling as his bowed his body from so many overwhelming and sudden sensations, his hands squeezing at the pliant bedding in order to try to deal with such invigorating stimulation.

"...holy shit..." Grimmjow murmured mindlessly, perhaps due to the revelation that such an extraordinary man had wanted him for so long or from the absolutely captivating sight of said man reacting so sensually from his own ministrations to him, where unparalleled, zealous cravings were behind every one of his breaths and movements, begging the espada with his moans alone for absolutely everything from him.

The flat, hard planes of Byakuya muscled chest moved up and down as the noble's breathing had become quite haggard as he trembled wantonly against Grimmjow gently moving hand in between his legs, the Kuchiki heir positively in love with the way Jeagerjaques took his time sliding his fingers in and out of his entrance before gradually spreading his digits and forcing the soul reaper's body to accommodate, his actions pulling soft mewls and sharp gasps for air from the raven, as Grimmjow amorously ran his other hand along the inside of Byakuya's creamy thigh.

"Haa...Grimmjow...let me touch you..."Byakuya breathed the lustful request, the noble quite certain that he just might permanently forgo sanity should Grimmjow continue with his measured ministrations, as he carefully began to sit up, making the transfixed, inebriated espada have to retract his fingers from inside the paler man as well as sit back on his haunches to allow Kuchiki more room to move as he wished, their eyes locked in a smoldering stare.

Stemming from his unforeseeable attachment to solely Byakuya Kuchiki in all of the Soul Society, coupled with the implausible yet wholly present obligation he felt to do nothing but what the squad six captain asked of him, Grimmjow remained obediently still, his massively sculpt body looking positively magnificent in its restraint as he knelt there on the mattress and watched through half-lidded eyes as Kuchiki crawled towards the near corner of the bed and extend an arm towards one of the small nightstands in the room.

"...Grimmjow...what I said to you before...I was telling the truth;" Byakuya clarified in a tone laced with curling smoke underneath such light satin as he retrieved a small, delicate vial from one of the drawers of the nightstand, before pawing his way back in front of the awaiting, wholly mesmerized espada clinging to his every word, Byakuya's every attentive fiber directed to only him, "...I've wanted to be close to you for a while now...that's why I took you from the twelfth squad and made sure that you could stay here...that's why...I felt jealous earlier, seeing you with Ichigo Kurosaki..."

Grimmjow's lips parted in a silent gasp from such brazen honesty, as he could practically feel his body humming in anticipation, nearly vibrating from the intensity of wanting to do so much with the dark-haired man who had just admitted to him that he wanted him, truly and utterly desired and wished to be with him, as Byakuya deftly opened the glass vial inside of his hands, only looking towards Grimmjow through the heavy haze of his thick eyelashes whilst he did so.

"Byakuya...I...ohh..." the impossibly handsome, blue-haired male had attempted to voice his thoughts to the determined soul reaper, yet the words had died quickly in his throat as he tilted his head back and closed his teal-marked eyes in unspeakable pleasure that only served to arouse his instincts all the more, as the infatuated Kuchiki heir had begun to pour the warm, slippery substance all over the espada's straining length.

Byakuya unconsciously licked his pink lips at the stunning sight of Grimmjow losing himself in his pleasure, as the captain hurriedly took hold of his lover's thick, lubricated cock and began to pump his hand up and down the rigid flesh in tantalizingly unhurried strokes, steel-grey eyes boring into Grimmjow's tanned, gorgeous face as the latter parted his lips and gasped for air upon being handled with such bold enthusiasm.

"Ever since I saw those...beautiful...blue eyes of yours, Grimmjow...I knew that I wanted you to be mine..." Byakuya continued to run his palm and squeeze his fingers over the espada's tempting cock, as the nobleman began smoothly easing his weight forward, effectively causing Grimmjow to lie back against the bed while Kuchiki slowly advanced onto his larger, darker form.

"...haa...haa..."Grimmjow shivered upon hearing Byakuya's piercing words to him, words that claimed him, owned every part of him, as he settled back against the soft, durable material and plump pillows and watched as Byakuya lowered his own hungry, ash-colored eyes to his naked, immaculate body presented him.

"You are mine, Grimmjow..." Byakuya growled quietly as he craned his midnight head down to Jeagerjaques' rippled abdomen and began running his tongue over the tightly packed muscles adorning his stomach, trailing the tip of his tongue in between the various dips and grooves there whilst adoringly sliding his fingers down and off of he espada's dripping sex.

"Ohh shit...mmn...fuck...!"Grimmjow cursed breathlessly, the espada trembling deliciously underneath his saucy caretaker's ministrations as Byakuya purposefully lapped his tongue heavily along the espada's Hollow hole, swirling his soft muscle against the perimeter of the perfect circle before the heir erotically nipped with his teeth and lips against the sensitive area.

Byakuya scratched his blunt nails down either of Grimmjow's sides whilst his blue-haired lover arched his sun-kissed body, loving the feeling of having so much unquestionable control over every, scorching-hot inch of the sexta espada's flesh, as Byakuya fluidly brought his mouth higher along Jeagerjaques' torso while he carefully crawled his way up Grimmjow's quivering, anxious body trapped beneath his own.

Striking grey met glassy blue as Byakuya straddled Grimmjow's waist with his long legs, the noble sitting up perfectly straight on top of the espada's warm lap as he reached his hands behind him and stretched his lean lines of taut muscle all the while, medium-length tresses the color of fine ink curling over Kuchiki's strong, sheet-white shoulders as he peered down at him.

"...go slow, espada..."Byakuya purred the clipped order in a steamy, no-nonsense voice that Grimmjow found himself liking perhaps a little too much, as the latter male could only watch in amazement as the proud, alluring noble raised himself off of Grimmjow's hips for a small moment as he used his bracing hands to direct the blue-haired man's pulsating member to his poised entrance.

With the greatest of care, Byakuya began slowly lowering himself down onto Grimmjow's straining length, feeling the moistened but wide head breach his entrance and delivering him immediate bouts of initial pain and discomfort with which to wrestle as the soul reaper sharply hissed in between his teeth, his lovely eyes squeezing shut as he forced himself to relax and continue.

"Ooh...baby..."Grimmjow breathed sensuously to the man above him, letting his large hands lovingly roam up and down either of Byakuya's legs in a soothing, apologetic gesture, as he remained obligingly still so that they may only proceed at Kuchiki's pace, "...feels so good..."

Encouraged by Grimmjow's dreamy words of sensual praise to him, Byakuya felt his tensing muscles melt with welcomed relaxation where he was able to accept more of the espada's impressive cock to slide inside of him until they were completely connected, and it was then that Byakuya breathed easier and felt his previously accumulated desires and ambitions flood back into his systems and blind out any residual discomfort.

Grimmjow's hands found Byakuya's narrow hips as the espada helped the noble to lift his firm, shapely ass up a little so that they may grind back against one another, their pace kept painstakingly mindful as Byakuya pressed his hands flat against the espada's hard chest whilst they moved together, the noble positively slipping into a sweet madness in how he could feel Jeagerjaques' thick member reaching deep inside of him with every, smooth slide occurring between them.

"_...finally...I have him...it feels unbelievable...being like this with him..."_ Byakuya mentally swooned as his parted lips drawled out his lengthy moans that seemed to thicken the air around them, as the noble gained a little more momentum in grinding his ass down against Grimmjow's thrusting hips, his movements making the espada's member plunge deep inside of him as he wantonly squeezed his inner walls around his every intruding inch, _"...I love how he's letting me have control over him...letting_ _me do as I please..."_

"Mmh...Grimmjow...yes..." Byakuya's rich timbre cooed out like a generous melody to the drowning espada beneath him, as Kuchiki rocked his ethereal body in perfect harmony with each, urgent push of Grimmjow's aching hips, both male's breathing coming out in hearty puffs as the pace of their lovemaking started to gradually quicken between the two of them, "...feels amazing...mmn...do not stop..."

"Fucking hell..." Grimmjow growled heatedly, wrapping his arms around the small of Byakuya's steadily moving back, before moving to sit up, having to part his knees so he could keep the Kuchiki heir as close as possible to him as he pressed the raven to his chest, "...you are absolutely killing me, Byakuya...come here..."

Slender, snow-kissed arms encircled Grimmjow's broad, rugged shoulders with amicable need as the soul reaper noble buried his nose against the side of the espada's neck, breathing all of him in, trusting and cherishing him completely, as Jeagerjaques began snapping his hips up in rough, staccato movements, driving his long, throbbing erection hard into the gorgeous, willing body within his iron-clad embrace, instantly ushering in even more time-stopping, white-hot sensations to sweep through them in glorious, life-changing waves where each pull felt better than the last.

"Ohh...there, Grimmjow...mmn...right there...right there...ahh...!" Byakuya's magical voice rose in a brilliant crescendo, coupled with his increasing moans that toppled over one another in a most soul-ensnaring fashion inside their bedroom, as the raven dug his fingers into the strong curves of Grimmjow's wide back in order to attempt to deal with the staggering amounts of pleasure suddenly rushing through them both as a result of their change in position.

Half-lidded, teal-marked eyes the color of a frozen winter lake watched fiercely as Byakuya's face, so close to his own, tipped back as the captain moaned loudly to the darkened ceiling above and elegantly arched his back on top of Grimmjow's lap whilst the espada's every, forceful thrust pounded against his prostate, delivering them both unbelievable euphoria and accumulating satisfaction from which to feel even more a part of one another, even more like them being together like this was right.

"Goddamn...you feel so fucking good, Byakuya...incredible..." Grimmjow whispered to the lovely soul reaper in his arms, the latter clinging to him for dear life as he bounced rigorously up and down Grimmjow's hard length that slammed up into his quivering, dripping entrance with such claiming, feral intensity that it made the powerful espada's keen vision blur around the edges and his fingertips feel numb as he positively lost himself in the astounding heat that surrounded and stroked him perfectly.

The way that Byakuya would lustfully rub his hips and straining member against Grimmjow's solid abdomen whilst they made love in each others' arms, the way that Byakuya would grind his ass wantonly down Grimmjow's cock with each, world-crushing slide so that the espada could feel every inch of his velvety, textured insides squeeze and flutter around him, Jeagerjaques could hardly form a single, coherent thought, only feel and experience everything the beautiful Kuchiki heir was willing to give him as he felt his release rapidly approaching at an almost painful rate.

"...let me see you, baby...I want to see you when you come..." Grimmjow continued to purr breathlessly to his moaning, writhing lover whom he could feel was reaching his limit as well, as he freed a hand from around Byakuya's graceful back and gently brought it to the side of his pale, diamond-cut face, both men trembling hotly against one another with their overwhelming need to experience relief right this moment.

Tanned, calloused fingers carefully lowered Byakuya's porcelain face back towards him again, their glazed gazes locked in calm passion, before both men quickly crushed their parted mouths together in a furious, desperate kiss, Grimmjow greedily swallowing Kuchiki's throaty moans that spoke of his pending release, as the sexta espada lovingly pushed his hand through long, silken locks of jet-black hair.

Grimmjow thrust his tongue inside Byakuya's warm, sweet mouth, feeling his coiled pressure all but sizzle with even more electricity upon being able to taste his fiery lover while in such a needy state that teetered dangerously close to his own personal edge, as the sexta espada moaned against Kuchiki's lips, and sifted his fingers through his hair until he could clasp his hand around the back of Byakuya's neck to keep him as close as possible whilst the both finally gave into their burdening, extraordinary ecstasy.

"...ohh...my...Grimm...jow...Grimmjow...oh my God...I'm coming...!" Byakuya suddenly broke off their wholly fulfilling kiss as he hollered his words in a hoarse, pleading tone that rippled all the way through his lover's every fiber, as the raven-haired captain thrust his hips down upon Grimmjow's lap one, final time, making the blue-haired male's cock shove violently inside of his entrance before Kuchiki moaned mindlessly as his orgasm tore through him in multiple, jagged streams of glimmering fluid that erupted from his trapped cock and spattered erotically over Grimmjow's chest.

"...mmn...fuck..." Grimmjow growled through gritted teeth upon witnessing his gorgeous caretaker come right before his eyes, coupled with feeling just how much sharp-edged passion had completely consumed his lover, as Byakuya's hot insides had suckled and fluttered around his probing flesh, almost as if the Kuchiki heir desired to feel even more of him prior to reaching his release, as the panting noble now shook deliciously in his arms from the residual tremors behind his powerful orgasm.

Jeagerjaques felt Byakuya place his delicate hands on either of his shoulders, the raven bringing his lips close to the espada's ear before whispering to his lover, "...come inside me, Grimmjow..."

"...shit...Byakuya...damn..." Grimmjow squeezed his eyes shut as he felt what had remained of his crumbling attempt to prolong their lovemaking suddenly vanish in an instant upon hearing such sultry, certain words being spoken to him, as the dark-skinned espada moaned his pleasure for only Byakuya Kuchiki to hear while his cock pulsed and pulsed inside of his pale lover, shooting every drop of his warm, thick essence deep inside Byakuya's relaxed entrance as the two of them rocked languidly against each other for only a few moments more.

Byakuya smiled warmly at the sight of Grimmjow barely able to compose himself as the former enemy slowly caught his breath, his large shoulders and chest lazy in his posture, and the soul reaper could hardly help the gesture when he wrapped his arms around Grimmjow's neck and hugged the sated, beautiful man close to him in an act of vibrant, unbridled affection.

A strong hand sluggishly made its way up Byakuya's curved back until Grimmjow could brace his forearm across Kuchiki's shoulder blades, returning his lover's embrace with a single, massive arm that immediately warmed and soothed the already pleased raven as the two simply kept intimately close to one another whilst they regained their senses and touch with reality, neither man finding that doing so was entirely unpleasant as they still could feel and smell and look upon the other at such a blissful moment.

"Sleep with me...?" Byakuya cooed the question into Grimmjow's light-blue hair, gently making a few silken strands move with his soft breath as he had yet to loosen his possessive hold on his handsome lover, neither, perhaps, unwilling to break the surreal haze floating above their heads that no longer made them warriors or of nobility...just two people in love; happy.

"I thought I just did that..." Grimmjow quipped cheekily, a tired grin curving his lips as he pulled his face away from Byakuya's shoulder so that they may see each other properly, the realization naturally occurring to a part of his mind that he needed to do so when speaking to solely this man.

"You know what I mean," Byakuya replied with a growing smirk of his own, able to see that the obedient espada in his arms was just as fatigued as he, as the two of them slowly began lying down on top of the mattress, their bodies parting only mildly as Grimmjow kept his arm wrapped securely around Byakuya's slender back while the soul reaper rested his hands along Jeagerjaques' broad chest and abdomen.

Tresses the hues of a colorless midnight and a bright, afternoon sky spread out along the many, white pillows that lined the head of Byakuya's massive bed, as the soul reaper and the espada easily closed their heavy eyes, the affects of their lovemaking having meant far more than simple release and, thus, had proved to be greatly taxing yet totally enriching to the both of them, as they continued to feel connected and joined now that they lie peacefully together in their afterglow, as if the understanding was mutual despite not being voiced at all of how either man would never have to be alone again.

Completely uncaring of the mess they had made or the unsightly state of the blankets beneath their bare, touching bodies, the silence of the familiar, masterfully-designed room was wholly welcomed to Grimmjow and Byakuya as they breathed in the harmonious atmosphere deeply, relaxing their satisfied forms even more against the pliant bumps and dips of the bedding, and the espada was momentarily struck with the notion that he had never before felt so pleasantly subdued and at so much peace with himself.

"...Byakuya..."Grimmjow's usually brash voice was kept mindfully quiet as he whispered to his lover nestled before him on the other pillow, who had yet to open his charcoal eyes to regard the espada.

"...hmm...?"the raven-haired heir responded sleepily, his angelic features remaining still as if he had already found sleep alongside Jeagerjaques, who briefly licked at his drying lips before continuing to speak to the captain, his mind positively made up at what his next words to his beloved caretaker and lover would be.

"...two months from now...on the twenty-third...Aizen and the remaining espada will be staging an all-out attack on the Soul Society. The espada are going to be in charge of an army of Hollows who are going to be ordered to attack each corner of the Soul Society...trying to stretch your forces thin while Aizen and his generals ambush the Seireitei to destroy it," Grimmjow spoke solidly yet not harshly before closing his eyes once more and finally giving in the to dull but present lulling of sleep that was nagging at his mind and weighing down his body, the sexta espada having finished reporting what he knew of Sosuke Aizen's plans for demolishing this plane of existence and everyone in it.

Eyes the color of polished, razor-sharp steel snapped wide open to seek out the sexta espada, but focused just in time to see Grimmjow close his own teal-marked eyes and fall asleep with soft, even breaths that left his slightly parted lips.

_Author's Note:_ Yep. I'm picking this story back up again. **27Steve **poked and prodded me until I agreed, basically (lol), so all thanks go to him and/or her. ^^ More to come for our unlikely lovebirds and the new info that Grimmy has now disclosed to us all!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

The next morning...

"And you are sure...about everything that you have just said to us in this meeting, Grimmjow?" Head Captain Yamamoto questioned the blue-haired espada standing before him, every squad captain and lieutenant standing at attention on either side of him inside the great room.

"Yes..."Grimmjow, dressed in his black soul reaper attire and standing cordially with his hands folded behind his back, stated for all to here, his words confirming the information he had disclosed in which he had explained in detail Aizen's ultimate plans, before the espada looked off to his right and caught sight of Byakuya Kuchiki lifting up an elegant, meaningful eyebrow at him, "...sir."

"We must take action!" Yamamoto addressed the officers sternly, his voice booming off of the painted walls and filling each soul reaper's chest with significant urgency and sense of duty, "We shall devise a team that will go to Hueco Mundo and put a stop to the Hollow army before they arrive. We must also formulate groups who will be posted on each, far corner of the Soul Society. I, myself, shall remain here in the Seireitei with a few others to intercept Aizen."

In a collective response, every seated officer stated their allegiance to the Head Captain's plan to counter each aspect of the traitor Sosuke Aizen's objectives, all of them filing out hurriedly to begin preparations with their squads and form their respective teams to begin setting out on missions immediately.

However, a few men stayed behind to let the crowd exit ahead of them.

"Grimmjow Jeagerjaques...you have done well," the aged squad one captain spoke again to the unmoving espada who was still being watched by his raven-haired lover on his right side as they both listened to Yamamoto's somber words, "...in fact, I have heard from several soul reapers whom I trust that you have been making exceptional progress here in the Soul Society."

"...thank you, sir," Grimmjow said quietly, casting his sapphire eyes down for a brief second before blinking them back up to the wrinkled, patient face of the elder soul reaper, the espada admittedly not used to receiving such formal praise from a superior.

"Therefore, I would like to offer you official entrance into the Thirteen Court Guard Squads as of today," the Head Captain announced firmly, his words instantly making both steel-grey and ocean-blue eyes widened drastically in surprise, as Byakuya began automatically stepping to Grimmjow's frozen side.

"_He is being accepted...does this mean someone has already asked that he be put in their squad...?"_ Byakuya mentally surmised with growing discomfort taking place inside him, the thought of Grimmjow's handsome face being seen by too many others honestly not boding well with the icy, possessive captain now standing by his side.

"Head Captain Yamamoto..."the raven-haired captain of squad six voiced, the shock still evident in his tone as he attempted to school his stony features before continuing, "...to which squad would he be sent?"

"Captain Zaraki of squad eleven has requested that Grimmjow Jeagerjaques be assigned to his division effective immediately," the bearded soul reaper answered Kuchiki's staggered question with steadied, indifferent ease, both of his aged hands lying on top of his wooden staff poised in front of him where he sat.

In spite of his obligation to address the Head Captain, Grimmjow turned directly towards Byakuya first, their gazes quickly finding one another, as the squad six captain looked upon the espada's calm features and set stature of his strong jaw, the answer already evident before the blue-haired male had even uttered a word.

"I think...I want this...what the hell else am I supposed to do, you know..." Grimmjow spoke for only to Byakuya to hear, as he softened his cobalt gaze upon seeing how internally troubled his beautiful caretaker seemed to be about the situation, "...besides...I should fit right in with those guys."

Byakuya blinked appreciatively at Jeagerjaques' attempt to make him feel better about him being a part of another squad and, ultimately, no longer being his own responsibility, as the noble briefly wet his shapely lips before speaking to him, having to forcefully push aside his personal interests for what he knew would be best for the sexta espada.

"If this is what you want, Grimmjow...then accept the offer," Byakuya replied coolly before taking a small step away from the espada so that Grimmjow would know that he was free to turn back towards the Head Captain and state his answer.

Grimmjow smirked affectionately at his lover, giving him a quick wink, before facing the seated soul reaper at the head of the grand room, and squaring his broad shoulders prior to speaking.

"I'm in...but I do have one request," Grimmjow spoke resolutely, piercing blue eyes locked directly onto Yamamoto's scarred, unperturbed features whilst he continued, the espada only vaguely aware of Byakuya's striking steel gaze peering inquisitively at his profile, "...these missions to defeat Aizen...I want to be a part of them."

"Out of the question," Byakuya hastily spoke up with roughened velvet his voice, the noble having already known before he had even finished that he had spoken out of turn in this circumstance, but the Kuchiki heir had not been able to help but state his opposition to the idea of Grimmjow being placed in such immense, inevitable danger.

"_He is a traitor to them...he would certainly be killed,"_ Byakuya thought gravely to himself, not relenting in the way he kept his naturally half-lidded eyes fixated sternly out ahead of him and not on the angered look Jeagerjaques was directing his way.

"Byakuya Kuchiki..."Head Captain Yamamoto's gruff voice seemed to cut through the tension in the room as his measured words regained Grimmjow's adamant attention away from the stoic, nearly unreadable captain, "...Grimmjow Jeagerjaques will have knowledge about the other espada leading the Hollows...knowledge that the posted men will need to also know if they hope to survive. Surely, you can understand this."

Byakuya felt the muscles of his jaws tighten, as he recognized the validity of every one of his Head Captain's words.

"...sir, I understand," the Kuchiki heir answered his superior with quiet, cold words, partially gloved hands balled tightly at his sides for a small second before the noble forced his muscles to regain normalcy throughout his body.

"Good. Then, it decided. Report to the squad eleven offices today before noon, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, where you will receive further orders;" Head Captain Yamamoto concluded his separate meeting with the two, younger men before him, "You both are dismissed."

With quick, fluid movements, both the espada and soul reaper captain turned around in their spots and marched out of the great meeting room as well, immersing themselves in the brilliant, morning sunlight that made shining angles of pure white cascade from the sky and into one's line of vision as the two navigated directly around the nearest corner.

"Just what in the hell was all that about, Byakuya...you honestly think that I can't..." Grimmjow had attempted to fume at the beautiful captain walking swiftly alongside him, but was hastily cut off in the middle of his rant as Kuchiki suddenly spun to be right in front of him, his pale hands taking hold of either side of Grimmjow's tanned face, before the noble crushed their petal-soft lips together.

Jeagerjaques' broad shoulders easily relaxed as both men closed their eyes peacefully, letting the simple but significant satisfaction of having the other male's lips claiming their own absolutely wash away any tension in between them, as Grimmjow leaned into Byakuya's mindful touches to his cheeks and Hollow mask fragment.

Pulling his lovely, sakura-colored lips away from Grimmjow's addictive scent and taste, Byakuya kept his hands on his lover's jaw line, as he opened his dark-grey eyes to look upon the pacified espada within his grasp.

"I know that you are more than capable of handling these missions, Grimmjow..." Byakuya explained to the blue-haired male as he slowly slid his fingers down Grimmjow's cheeks and mask until he could drop his hands to his sides whilst the latter heard his weighted words, "...I just do not want to see you hurt."

"Byakuya..."Grimmjow began in a voice troubled with too many thoughts running through his mind regarding the extraordinary concern Kuchiki had just disclosed about his well-being, as Jeagerjaques directed his enchanting blue gaze somewhere off to his lower right, "...I uh...no one has ever said that to me before..."

"_Fighting is practically the only thing he knows how to do; it was the only reason why Aizen kept him around…his only reason for existing in such a dark, lifeless place,"_ the dark-haired noble was able to vividly recall his own inner musings regarding the scarred, devastatingly gorgeous espada at this moment, realizing that his previous thoughts were all the more accurate as he heard Grimmjow's words and saw his mannerisms now that simply did not know how to interpret Kuchiki's personal worry for him.

"This is important to me..." Grimmjow's continued words broke Byakuya's train of thought as ash-colored eyes were captivated with intense, sapphire blue and the darker, heartier tone with which the espada used to convey his point, "...I want to see that bastard burn."

"_Aizen..."_Byakuya mentally registered the man whom Grimmjow spoke of, also able to remember how Jeagerjaques had told him about his inconsolable rage towards said man whilst being under his difficult rule, how Grimmjow had been constantly being criticized and purposefully injured by the brown-haired traitor that controlled the espada.

"Very well..." Byakuya acquiesced, knowing that he was no one to stand in the way of his lover's personal vendetta with Sosuke Aizen and the remaining followers of his dastardly plans, "...but you must promise me something, Grimmjow."

Slender, sky-blue eyebrows rose in mild surprise at the soul reaper's words to him, before the espada nodded in response.

Byakuya pensively licked the roof of his mouth, his jaw set and confident as he narrowed his steel-colored eyes dangerously at the tanned male before him whom he already knew he cared about greatly despite such little time together...perhaps the one person whom he knew he would not see lost to him from the torrents of battle or perhaps in the arms of another.

"You will come to _my_ bed every night...is that clear?" Byakuya's words were satin but his eyes were fierce with the boldness yet vulnerability of his meaning as the esteemed Kuchiki heir took a step towards the pleasantly stunned Jeagerjaques and placed a hand over the espada's lower abdomen, right where his Hollow hole was located.

Grimmjow shivered from the teasing contact to such a sensitive area, his response making Byakuya smirk sexily at his him, before the sun-kissed male deftly brought a hand to Kuchiki's, wove their fingers together, and then lifted their conjoined hands to his lips, never taking his gaze away from Kuchiki's porcelain beauty.

"You got it," Grimmjow replied smoothly prior to placing a chaste kiss to Byakuya's partially gloved, snow-white hand, his teal-marked eyes glinting with sparks of restrained excitement, before he naturally lowered their hands and then let his fingers slide out of Byakuya's hold.

"...see you later," the sexta espada spoke once more to the seemingly entranced soul reaper, flashing him a cocky, toothy smirk before using sonido and taking his leave of beyond the squad one meeting quarters so that he may head towards the area designated for the eleventh squad.

Byakuya drew his bottom lip into his mouth, lightly sucking Grimmjow's taste onto his tongue, as the dark-haired noble immediately found himself missing Jeagerjaques' contagious warmth and vibrant nature, his rich blue eyes and stunning features that the Kuchiki heir knew he could stare at forever...the rare gentleness and compatibility that the espada only seemed to extend to him and no one else that made Byakuya feel absolutely special.

"_... and now that I've felt his touch and seen everything there is about him...I cannot let him go..."_ Byakuya Kuchiki mentally reminded himself, realizing that he needed to consider such bold thoughts in order to feel even remotely comfortable with the idea of Grimmjow spending most of his time with another squad, other men that would see his smiles and his laugh and the way his beautiful blue eyes contrasted so immensely with his commanding nature.

"_I've already said that he is mine...he has already given himself to me willingly...but these missions..."_Byakuya's thoughts moved onto the greatest of his concerns regarding Grimmjow's newly appointed status as an officer of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, the noble knowing full well that Grimmjow's lust for battle and personal disdain for Aizen might just be the very things that shall add up to his demise, _"...they will be dangerous, not that Grimmjow will care."_

Byakuya smirked despite his seemingly constant worry, as the raven-haired male began striding gracefully towards his own squad's location, admittedly taking his time in his journey so he may sort out his toppling thoughts and hopefully find some peace of mind within the situation.

"_...I will care, though...I will make sure that Grimmjow stays safe...no matter what,"_ the noble concluded firmly to himself, the lengthy folds of his light-colored scarf fluttering helplessly behind him due to his confident strides as he navigated to the squad six offices, finally feeling a large part of his tension start to subside as the Kuchiki heir realized exactly where his heart lie in all of his worry and strife about the blue-haired male.

X

Thirty-seven minutes later...

Grimmjow Jeagerjaques pushed open the doors to the squad eleven headquarters, blue eyes staring straight ahead as he paid no heed to the two other men in the room while he directly approached the notorious captain who had turned away from the window to regard him the moment he had entered.

"...about time you showed up," the eye-patch-wearing captain's heavily gravel-laden voice drawled out, his stature tall and intimidating even though Grimmjow smiled wolfishly at him and the captain's cheeky greeting to his newest recruit who stopped his steps and shoved his tanned hands inside the pockets of his hakama.

"What can I say; this place is confusing...like a fucking maze from hell... " Grimmjow smartly replied to the ruthless captain before him, his words alluding to the fact that he was several minutes late in arriving there.

Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa, who were both watching the interesting exchange between their captain and the espada, cocked up a few eyebrows at Jeagerjaques' obvious intention to banter right back with their dangerous superior, as the bald-headed man had his arms folded across his robed chest while leaning back against the painted wall while his purple-haired comrade stared at Grimmjow with a lingering, half-lidded eyes.

Kenpachi Zaraki inhaled and exhaled slowly through his nose, seeming to absorb Grimmjow's crude words to him as he blinked his visible eye at the smirking, nonchalant espada now in his ranks, and then broke out into a broad, insane-looking smile of his own.

"It is, isn't it...this place drives me crazy sometimes. Well, whatever; you're here now, so let's get started introducing you to the squad," Captain Zaraki announced jovially in a much less threatening voice that immediately settled any discord being vicariously felt by Ikkaku and Yumichika off to the side.

However, just Grimmjow was about to say something else to his new, kindred spirit of a superior, he felt a subtle tug at the bottom of one of his sleeves, prompting him to cast his lovely blue gaze downwards to seek out the cause.

"Hi there, newest member of squad eleven!" chimed a tiny, pink-haired girl with a bright smile and a giant wave of her small hand towards the strapping espada that towered over her, "My name is Yachiru Kusajishi, Kenny's lieutenant, and that's a really pretty color under your eyes!"

Already frowning, Grimmjow lifted his light-blue head back towards his captain and said dryly, "...is she for real?"

"You'll also want to meet third seat Ikkaku Madarame and..." Kenpachi disregarded Grimmjow's question in favor of continuing with introducing everyone in the room, but was cut off as the orange collar and sleeve-wearing soul reaper beat him to stating his own name.

"Yumichika Ayasegawa, ranked fifth here..." the purple-haired male spoke sweetly to the espada as he quickly slid to his side, batting his long eyelashes at Jeagerjaques' handsome face while he offered the espada a coy smirk upon being so close to him now, " ...and let me just say that if you ever need...shown around the facilities or...someone to spar with...I would be more than happy to accommodate your wishes..."

"Yeah, got it; thanks," Grimmjow replied in a bored tone to the effeminate male standing too close to his arm, as he directed his gaze towards the quiet, collected bald man before him.

"So, tell me, friend...where do you have to go in this place to get into a good fight...?" Grimmjow posed the savage question to Ikkaku with another, face-splitting smile that showcased his sharp fangs and naturally brash attitude as he narrowed his sapphire eyes at the soul reaper.

"Ha! I like him already!" Captain Zaraki exclaimed loudly with a menacing cackle that also brought a cheerful smile to his lieutenant's adorable face from atop his shoulder, while Ikkaku unfolded his arms from his torso and allowed a cocky, side-grin to curve his lips as well from Jeagerjaques' question to him.

"Yay! Kenny's happy! I'm happy that Grimmy makes Kenny so happy!" Yachiru giggled merrily as all watched as Madarame smoothly stepped closer to Grimmjow before speaking, his grin spreading across his shiny features as he regarded the equally action-loving, blue-haired male.

"It's a fight you're looking for, eh? Well then...follow me, new guy," Ikkaku stated casually before the two of them began striding to the doors of the squad eleven offices to take their leave.

"Wait! I'm coming, too!" Yumichika called out before hustling towards the departing men, rushing to Grimmjow's side once more as the the espada briefly looked back towards his captain and smiling lieutenant.

"Nice to meet ya!" Grimmjow commented with his usual wit and smirk before he, Ikkaku, and Yumichika left the plain, brown-and-white-decorated offices and made a left towards the squad training grounds.

"That guy..." Zaraki began in his low timbre of a voice to his adamantly listening lieutenant lying over his huge shoulder, as the captain kept his hardened, scarred features directed towards his now closed doors and otherwise empty office before taking a thoughtful step towards his wooden desk with a few sheets of messily scrawled documents scattered across it, "...reminds me a lot of myself."

"Mm-hmm," Yachiru agreed somberly with a nod of her bright, pink head, quite astute to the times when her captain and best friend was speaking seriously with her, as Zaraki sat down at his gigantic desk that faced the modest windows that allowed light to flood inside the office area in lovely angles.

"This should be interesting, indeed..." Zaraki concluded with a bit of a nostalgic, knowing smirk curving his features before he directed his singular gaze to the few notices on his desk that he needed to read over before approving them, always with his loyal lieutenant by his side.

X

"So, Grimmjow...would blue be your favorite color, then...?" Yumichika continued with his endless barrage of questions to the tall, well-built arrancar walking alongside him and his bald-headed comrade as the two soul reapers lead the espada further away from the office buildings and towards the practice grounds and training facilities that were located in a separate area.

"Yumichika, stop with all the questions and leave the man in peace, will ya?" Ikkaku piped up in place of Grimmjow to the chatty soul reaper, his sheathed sword being laid across his shoulders while the third seat officer lazily hung his arms over the ends of the weapon whilst they navigated through the confusing arrangements of corridors before finally approaching their destination.

"What's wrong with my questions?" Yumichika snapped at Ikkaku in his own defense, as all three of them stopped at the crowded training grounds where countless, black-robed squad eleven members were squaring off and engaged in heated fights with one another, "...I just want to know more about our latest recruit. Is that so terrible?"

"It is when you won't even let him get a word in edge-wise," Ikkaku replied smartly, making a pointed face at his fuming, embarrassed comrade on the other side of the sexta espada, who was quite busy taking in the scene of so much unabashed, unchecked violence going on around him.

"Oh, hell yes...!" Jeagerjaques exclaimed before using sonido to suddenly vanish from standing in between the bickering soul reapers to appearing right in the middle of all of the rowdy squabbles, where well-placed punches, powerful kicks, and various colors of projected kido erupted at seemingly every angle.

"Listen up! I want you all to attack me at once, you got it!" the blue-haired male roared over the general noise of the many fights going on, his booming, gruff voice making every one of the men gradually halt their movements so that they may seek out the madmen who had ordered such an event to take place.

"Ho ho...I like his style," Ikkaku commented with a small chuckle as he and Yumichika watched from their places as the members of their squad wiped at their bleeding noses and mouths before directing their stances his way, ready to take the grinning espada at his word and attack without repose.

"I like...everything about him," Yumichika admittedly with a airy, infatuated voice as his light-purple eyes drank in the way Grimmjow laughed vivaciously before smoothly sliding into a wide fighting stance of his own, blue eyes narrowed in insane glee at the numerous foes whom he was now faced with, before all of them began coming after the lone male in the middle.

X

Later that evening, at the Kuchiki manor...

Byakuya Kuchiki silently strolled into his beautifully painted master bedroom, his hands already carefully unfastening his kenseikan from his layered, black mane, as his thoughts hummed with memories of the awkward day he had had.

The morning spent practically facing off with Head Captain Yamamoto had played a significant role in the squad six captain's mood being icier than usual towards his subordinates, as his orders had been specially clipped and mercilessly short to his intimated men, as the iron-clad glint in Kuchiki's haunting eyes had virtually threatened the lives of all who had looked upon him that day.

Byakuya sighed as he set his traditional headpiece and gloves onto his nightstand, knowing that he had probably been a bit too harsh with his squad members due to his own mental discord, but the noble immediately bypassed his own brooding, reflective thoughts upon snapping his head up towards his adjacent bathroom, able to hear the noise going on in said room.

The Kuchiki heir could clearly hear the steady raining of the water coming down from the shower, an occasional 'clack' or tapping sound also hitting his keen ears, as Byakuya's full lips easily melted into a knowing smirk amidst his darkened room.

"_Grimmjow..."_ Byakuya thought warmly to himself as he began fluidly removing the layers of robes that adorned his heavenly body, carelessly letting them pile onto the floor in his haste to join the gorgeous espada in his spacious, extraordinarily decorated bathroom.

With soundless footsteps, Byakuya slowly padded his way towards the master bathroom where the door was left ajar, making his entry into the steamy, moisture-warmed room effortless and tactful, before the Kuchiki heir beheld the blurry sight of Grimmjow's large, tanned body stretching deliciously underneath the spray of water from inside the frosted glass shower.

"I see you do follow up on your promises..." Byakuya announced his arrival with a smirk in his rich voice as the noble watched as Grimmjow opened the glass door for him, a cocky smirk on his own partially-masked face from his lover's cheeky comment to him.

"Get in here..."Grimmjow held a calloused hand out for Byakuya to take, which the noble did and allowed the espada to help him into the invitingly warm rain of water that had already thoroughly soaked Jeagerjaques' amazing body and bright blue hair that he had slicked back away from his brow.

However, the moment Byakuya was safely standing in the shower in front of Grimmjow, the dark-haired male quickly wrapped his long, toned arms around the sexta's espada's neck as both sets of their lips came together in a hungry, ravaging kiss.

"Mmm...I missed you, too..." Grimmjow said wittily from the corner of his mouth before it was claimed by the determined soul reaper once more, their dripping wet kisses coming to a slow end as Byakuya ran his hands down from either of the espada's shoulders to the hard planes of his scarred chest.

"How was your orientation into squad eleven?" Byakuya asked the stunning arrancar sharing his shower and, in turn, allowing the noble the keep them close whilst they spoke to each other, steel-grey eyes having softened substantially, the noble's previously torrent mind now at peace, upon looking upon the smiling, teal-marked face of his most precious person.

"Oh man, it went way better than what I thought it was going to be like...captain's pretty cool, the lieutenant is...well, whatever...and then some of the guys and I went down to the..."Grimmjow rambled excitedly, initially delighting Byakuya with the amount of unrestrained happiness that was present within his explanation of his day, until the Kuchiki heir caught sight of something and voiced his interruption.

"What is this?" Byakuya's firm words cut off Grimmjow's tale about his first day as a member of squad eleven, as the raven-haired male latched his hands onto Jeagerjaques' left arm and lifted the appendage up so he may get a better look at the thin but long, bleeding line that ran over the top of Grimmjow's hand.

"Oh...it's nothing...guess one of those bastards actually got me..." Grimmjow commented as his blue eyes traveled downward to behold exactly what had made Byakuya tense up against him and make his pleasant voice suddenly grow serious and demanding.

"...Grimmjow, how many members of the squad did you fight today?" Byakuya asked as he directed his somber, ash-colored gaze into Grimmjow's sopping wet face, as the noble continued to cradle Grimmjow's bleeding hand in between his own.

"Um...well, all of them, I guess..."Grimmjow shrugged as he answered his lover, not missing the immediate surprise that became the Kuchiki's fine, diamond-cut features as the latter processed the espada's nonchalant words to him.

"_...that's easily over a hundred men..."_ Byakuya internally recognized, his heart skipping a beat inside his chest at the mental image of his blue-haired obsession fighting that many people at one time as the squad six captain admittedly found such a realization incredibly attractive.

"Next time..." Byakuya purred to his endearingly confused but patient lover before him, as he lifted Grimmjow's deadly hand to his lips and placed a chaste kiss to his wound, "...try to be more careful, Grimmjow."

Grimmjow watched with dreamy, taken eyes as Byakuya finished his low-spoken statement to him by bringing out his pink tongue and slowly licking his way up the thin, red tear to his skin, the kindhearted words coupled with such a sultry gesture making the statuesque espada shiver in his place whilst he watched Kuchiki tend to him.

However, just as Byakuya succeeded in cleaning Grimmjow's tanned flesh of any residual blood with another seductive drag of his tongue, the sexta espada suddenly dropped his hand from Byakuya's grasp and gripped the raven's perfect ass in a vice-like grip, the blue-haired male hoisting the smaller man up off the cool, shower floor.

Byakuya and Grimmjow's lips urgently found each other, pushing and tasting in an unruly, wonderful fashion as the arrancar used his single, bracing arm to support Byakuya's weight as he leaned his own form forward to securely keep Kuchiki pressed against the glass shower wall behind him.

Pale, delicate hands slid up into blue, dripping satin, gripping Grimmjow's short locks hard, as both soul reaper and espada positively devoured each others' mouths and hearts with frenzied lips and brushes of their tongues, forever needing to be closer to the other, to experience even more with the other, as Grimmjow rested his opposite forearm against the shower glass to remain as close as possible to the Kuchiki heir.

"Ahh...!" the black-haired male gasped sharply, his head craning back a little bit as the noble tried to arch his back and press more of himself into Grimmjow's fiery, bold touches, as the espada ground his growing arousal into Byakuya's own hardened member in a glorious friction that sent thousands of heated tingles to course their way through their warm bodies.

Their lips having separated, Grimmjow squeezed Byakuya's firm ass in his gripping hand whilst he moved his mouth down the long column of Byakuya's smooth, porcelain throat, the blue-haired male taking his time placing butterfly kisses to the soul reaper's Adam's apple before languidly dragging his soft tongue up the side of Byakuya's neck to his ear.

"Mmm...Grimmjow...m-more..."Byakuya trembled inside his lover's powerful embrace, his breathing beginning to pick up inside his lungs as he struggled to deal with the onslaught of the needy yet subtle pleasure that Grimmjow was inflicting upon him, sensations where the noble could feel just how much Grimmjow wanted him, wanted his taste and texture...his voice and his everything in this moment.

"...you want more, baby..." Grimmjow cooed the rhetorical question hotly against the shell of Byakuya's ear, the espada nosing through his lover's drenched, black locks of hair as he continued to make slow, teasing circles of his hips that dug deliciously into Byakuya's own aching flesh, nearly driving the esteemed soul reaper crazy with the brazen mixture of cotton-soft pleasure and torturous sensation that only served to make either man crave more from the other.

"...then, tell me...do you want it rough...or slow, Byakuya...?" Grimmjow finished stating his toe-curling words to the panting male in his arms; as Byakuya felt every one of his inner restraints, his very disciplined nature as a captain and man of nobility, simply vanish from his whole mentality, far too overcome with the consuming need taking hold of him and his failing senses; for hearing such a seductive, forbidden question from the one person who could make the Kuchiki's blood run hot inside his veins, coupled with the ruthless exhilaration of feeling Grimmjow's straining cock slide up and down over his own, proved to be far too enticing for him to handle sanely.

"Nnh...Grimm...Grimmjow...ha...I want..." Byakuya's flooding sensations that made his body feel like he was soaring over cool, clouded skies and able to reach a little closer to the heavens, also rendered his speaking ability a bit less than stable as he slid his hands down either of the espada's massive arms, pawing aimlessly at the solid cords of muscle that provided the latter his remarkable strength and form.

"...tell me...please..."Grimmjow whispered desperately into Byakuya's hair as he had tipped his head forward to bury his nose and lips into the side of Byakuya's snow-kissed neck, giving the sensitive area small, quick nips with his sharp teeth before kissing over the worried patches of unmarred flesh with his petal-soft lips.

"...ohh...mmh...I want you to give it to me rough...right now..."the Kuchiki heir finally confessed to his handsome lover holding onto him as if the noble male would shatter and break should he lessen his protective embrace from around him, and it was with careful movements that Grimmjow brought his face to Byakuya's angelic features once more, his sopping wet sky-blue locks framing his temples with a few strands lying across his brow.

"...you always know exactly what I want to hear..." Grimmjow smirked handsomely at Byakuya's lovely features before smoothly lowering Kuchiki's legs back down to the floor so that the latter may stand on his own.

However, the soul reaper barely had enough time to register the cooler temperature of the shower floor against his feet as Grimmjow hastily spun Byakuya around in his place and then knelt down to his knees behind the surprised, hazy-eyed noble having to bring his hands up to the glass wall he now faced.

Grimmjow's smirk only increased across his tanned, gorgeous face as the espada brought his hands up to either side of Byakuya's ass, blue eyes taking a moment to drink in the way Byakuya's lean, beautiful body was slightly bent over as the noble's midnight-hued tresses strung and circled messily across his strong back and shoulders while he remained in such a provocative position for him.

"...moan for me, baby...let me hear your sweet voice," Grimmjow breathed the order across Byakuya's soft flesh, his hands carefully spreading his lover open before the blue-haired male plunged his tongue inside Byakuya's tight entrance with mind-breaking force and strength behind his actions.

"Ahh...haa...Grimmjow...Grimmjow...yes...ahh...!" Byakuya's mild voice immediately rose inside the small, steam-filled compartment as the noble squirmed against Grimmjow's iron grip on his ass and his soft tongue lapping incredibly sensually across his sopping wet entrance, able to feel the espada's Hollow mask fragment press against his skin while the sexta espada worked gloriously on him.

Grimmjow hummed against his lover's arching, writhing body, able to hear how Byakuya's hands pawed uselessly at the glass before him while the espada flicked his tongue hotly against the noble's puckered flesh before driving his velvety-soft muscle hard into the quivering opening, every one of Kuchiki's trembling moans and pleads for more sending rapid-fire jolts of red-hot need straight to his aching groin as he mindlessly massaged Byakuya's perfect flesh in his hands.

"...ugh...please, Grimmjow...give it to me...I can't take any more..." Byakuya begged sensuously, dipping his pale body even lower as the espada's ministrations were positively rendering the soul reaper dizzy with burdening, accumulated desire to experience even more satisfying pleasure from the blue-haired male that skillfully alternated from delivering Byakuya out of his right mind with hard, forceful thrusts of his tongue to making the raven feel as if he might fall apart at his seams from how gently Grimmjow would kiss and worship his most sensitive flesh.

Granting Byakuya's request after delivering one more lick to the exquisite soul reaper's entrance, Grimmjow stood up to his full height, gave his head a few, rigorous shakes that made his short, blue tresses move out of his eyes, and then took a step forward that pressed his well-built chest firmly against Byakuya's back, pushing the smaller male even more against the warm glass wall that was in front of them both as Grimmjow slipped a hand in between his lover's long, toned legs.

"I love tasting you..." Grimmjow growled to the breathtaking man before him, his voice indicative of his ever-present devotion to solely him as he narrowed his striking blue eyes at the way Byakuya captured his own bottom lip in between his white teeth while he ground his ass erotically against Grimmjow's throbbing member, both men absolutely in love with how they could feel every line of rain-soaked muscle and sinew that contoured the other as they remained practically adhered together, tanned skin against snow-white skin in a seamless joining.

Byakuya released his trapped bottom lip in a sugar-sweet groan as he felt Grimmjow's fingers touch his entrance with teasing circles and light pressure that had the Kuchiki heir nearly in tears from so much delicious torture being administered to him, as Grimmjow laid his other forearm against the frosted glass wall in from of Byakuya, digging the hard planes of his muscled chest and abdomen into Byakuya's slender back and shoulders as the latter watched with unwavering, enraptured eyes as Kuchiki purred and panted from his every touch and stroke, reacting to him so sensually that Jeagerjaques could not help but groan low in his throat as well.

Then, in a dazzling rush that spoke of Grimmjow's own desperation towards the pleading beauty before him, the espada suddenly shoved two of his fingers deep inside Byakuya's entrance, instantly feeling the soul reaper clench around him as a breathless moan left the raven's luscious mouth while his lover stretched his body.

"...mmm...feels good inside you, baby...I can't wait to have my dick making you moan like that instead..."Grimmjow cooed sinisterly with an entranced smirk from above Byakuya's head, his highly tactical and battle-oriented mind being wonderfully absolved in the midst of the feeling of his lover's amazing, textured insides, warm and slippery from so much pouring water from overhead, squeeze and relax around his slowly pumping fingers that seemed to elicit every one of the soul reaper's blood-igniting noises of erotic approval of his harsher treatment.

"God, yes..." Byakuya rambled mindlessly in between his building moans as he shivered against Grimmjow's strong chest behind him, crystal-clear droplets of water dripping off of his nose and the ends of his long hair as he continued speaking to his blue-haired lover, "...keep talking, Grimmjow...mmn...tell me what to do..."

"Byakuya..."Grimmjow began in a wickedly slow, dark voice, his tone low and calm towards the trembling soul reaper as he brought his lips to Byakuya's ear before continuing, "...fuck my fingers."

Byakuya released a throaty groan from such forbidden words coming from his lover, his own member leaking tiny streams of warm precome that mixed effortlessly with the cascading water that continued to warm his already tingling, wanton flesh, as the noble wordlessly complied with Grimmjow's orders and began carefully pushing his hips back, making Jeagerjaques' stagnant fingers slide further inside of him.

"Haa...ooh...ha...!"Byakuya purred in elongated, dreamy moans as he retracted his hips and made Grimmjow's tanned digits ease almost completely out of him before the noble freed an unsteady hand from the glass wall and brought it to Grimmjow's wrist, wrapping his pale fingers around his lover's flesh as the panting, soaked raven tugged Grimmjow's fingers back inside of him.

Grimmjow only spared a moment more to lick his tempting, parted lips, the sight and sensations of Byakuya taking control of him so that he could pleasure himself was vastly warping his touch with reality, as the espada hastily removed his fingers out of his impossibly sexy lover so that he may grip his pulsating cock at its thick base while his other hand pressed flat against the small of Kuchiki's back.

"...you make me fucking crazy..." Grimmjow breathed as he nudged Byakuya's stretched entrance with the wide head of his cock, merely touching the pink, sensitive flesh for a brief second while he spoke to the dark-haired male before him, "...I can't wait another goddamn minute..."

Then, all at once, Grimmjow rammed his heavy length inside Byakuya's body, immediately feeling the nobleman accept every inch of him rather than reject the intrusion from any discomfort, as Byakuya arched his slender back beautifully and screamed out to the sophisticated bathroom ceiling in pure, unrestrained bliss.

"Yes...just like that, Grimmjow...ahh...!" Byakuya moaned loudly for all the Soul Society to hear, as Grimmjow snapped his hips forward over and over in an earth-shattering rhythm that instantly granted either male the absolute euphoria of making love to the other with wonderful, unabashed need behind every one of their fast, desperate movements that made Jeagerjaques' rigid member slam delightfully violently into Kuchiki's fluttering, gripping entrance.

No other thought could pass inside either male's mind in the midst of them both being consumed by so much tangible and mental satisfaction; no problem or occurrence having a chance of mattering at all to Grimmjow or Byakuya as they positively lost themselves in the sheer, unrestrained passion radiating from the other that made for an unfathomable elation to be harnessed by the soul reaper and the espada as they made powerful, emotional love to each other.

Like an impossible wish being granted, like a withdrawing addict finally getting a fix of that most desired, Byakuya tossed his arms back to tangle his fingers in Grimmjow's short, blue locks, his perfect, porcelain body stretching and shuddering against the sexta espada's larger, rapidly moving frame, whilst Jeagerjagues braced one hand out in front of them against the glass as he ground his aching, dripping member deep inside the Kuchiki heir that had them both losing their air in favor of obtaining something even more precious.

Like something perfect simply meant to be, both Grimmjow and Byakuya became the escape, the missing part, that the other needed; something that they could literally feel in the touches of their flesh, the tingling of their lips, and the heightened arousal currently rampaging through them both to please and seek pleasure with the other...as if their being together was the effortless solution to whatever turmoil had been had been previously part of their lives.

"...nnh...tell me you love it, Byakuya...tell me..." Grimmjow wrapped his free arm around Byakuya's slim torso, keeping the smaller male as close as physically possible while they continued their hasty and rough yet wholly fulfilling lovemaking, their bodies moving in synchronization with each other as the blue-haired male pounded his member forward and Byakuya pushed his ass back to meet him for each, pleasuring thrust that made the raven swear he could see stars behind his eyes.

"...I love it, Grimmjow... I love it..." the airy words poured from Byakuya's candy-sweet mouth in automatic response, his grip tightening on Grimmjow's hair as he reclined his head back to rest on top of one, tanned shoulder, as he felt the arrancar sensually move his deadly hand down his chest, pausing momentarily to pinch his pebbled nipples, before trailing further still, "...I love you..."

"Oh, fuck me..." Grimmjow groaned mindlessly, his tone sounding almost pained from the staggering amounts of immense pleasure that teetered on insanity-inducing as he squeezed his sapphire eyes shut, long black eyelashes fanning out over the strange but beautiful teal-colored designs, as he quickly grabbed Byakuya's begging member and began ruthlessly pumping his lover's flesh.

"Haa...! Grimm...Grimmjow... keep going...mmn...I'm so close..." Byakuya begged his lover as he lowered a pale hand down to Grimmjow's furiously stroking hand and wrapped his fingers around the espada's own digits, the male of noble birth writhing uncontrollably against the strong, resilient espada behind him as his voice increased in pitch inside the spacious yet steam-clouded bathroom as Kuchiki felt his very core tighten and swell with his unbearable need to experience relief.

"...let go, baby...come with me..."Grimmjow purred hotly and was instantly rewarded with Byakuya parting his lips wide, craning his head back even more against his supportive shoulder, as Byakuya screamed Grimmjow's name in his lovely, hoarse timbre as both of their hands pulled line after line of Kuchiki's pearly, white come that sprang forth from the tip of his swollen cock and onto the severely fogged glass wall in front of them both in messy arcs and curves against the smooth surface.

"...God...I love seeing you come like that...Byakuya..." Grimmjow growled into the side of his lover's raven locks before dipping his head down and slowly capturing a patch of Byakuya's fair, soft skin of his shoulder in between his teeth in a small bite to stifle his rising moan that signaled his own release.

Byakuya gasped, his eyes opening in spite of his overall sated nature, as he felt Grimmjow mark him with a press of his sharp teeth that the arrancar was careful not to let break Kuchiki's skin, as the sexta espada hummed against the top of Byakuya's shoulder while he came long and hard inside of his rippled, intoxicating entrance, the clipped thrusts of his hips positively emptying everything he had to offer as Grimmjow held fast onto the pleased, drenched frame inside his embrace.

His movements having gradually come to an end, Grimmjow slowly removed his teeth and lips from Byakuya's shoulder but only so he may kiss the reddened, worried area in apology, the gesture making Byakuya shiver amiably inside his arms, as the tall, handsome espada gingerly began easing his softening member out of the squad six captain's saturated, dripping entrance, unknowing of the small smile becoming Byakuya's elegant lips all the while.

"Byakuya, normally I wouldn't care..." Grimmjow started to speak to the lovely, black-haired man who turned around in his spot with sluggish steps as both pairs of their tired eyes found each other, Jeagerjaques' tone kept mild and deliberate in spite of their post-coital daze that wrapped them each in its own brand of mesmerizing felicity and comfort, "...but, with you, I do..."

Byakuya watched with concerned, steady eyes the color of iced steel as Grimmjow lowered his own beautiful gaze from his before he continued, never-ending rivers of the raining shower water running down the various lines and grooves that contoured the white Hollow mask fragment still affixed to Grimmjow's right cheek as he seemed to be collecting his thoughts, troubled and hesitant to speak.

"...did you really mean...what you said...? Do you..." Grimmjow could not finish his full question as he picked his devastatingly blue gaze up from the shower floor and directed it straight into Byakuya's patiently awaiting features, his own features hard and serious and Kuchiki could not help but feel a little in awe from witnessing such a phenomena.

Then, in a blinding dash that no mere mortal could ever hope to clearly see, Byakuya had his slender arms encircling Grimmjow's neck as he pressed their lips together in a dazzling, meaningful kiss that answered Grimmjow's unspoken question and settled his worry before his words could.

"I love you, Grimmjow," Byakuya whispered against Jeagerjaques' lips upon breaking their precious kiss only a hairsbreadth apart, his ash-colored eyes lifting up to trace over the way Grimmjow had his half-lidded eyes blinking slowly, dreamily at him, as if the sexta espada could barely process the gravity of such a significant phrase being spoken to him for the first time, before the noble claimed his lover's mouth once more, feelings of sparkling joy lighting up inside his every fiber as he had finally spoken the truth he had kept hidden from the gorgeous espada ever since that night they had saved each other.

_Author's Note:_ Alright, so I know this chapter was a bit strange. I swear I'm going somewhere with this crap lol. Perhaps the reason why this chapter was all over the place was because I listened to a lot of Gorillaz music while writing it. ...love Gorillaz. XD


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

One month and eleven days later...

"Alright men, let's review our situation," Ikkaku Madarame stated in his bored, gruff tone as he eyed his accompaniments currently huddled in a tight circle on the sandy outskirts of Hueco Mundo several hundred yards away from the grand palace of Las Noches, "...several thousands of Hollows will be heading in this direction in a matter of seconds. Their intention is to make it into the Soul Society. It is our job to make sure they don't succeed."

Upon finishing his curt overview of their mission, Ikkaku directed his steely gaze directly into the half-lidded sapphire eyes of Grimmjow Jeagerjaques by his side, receiving a confirming nod from the espada as he, Yumichika Ayasegawa, Rangiku Matsumoto, and a few other soul reapers all hardened their respective features, knowledge of what was at stake being present within everyone's mind.

"Let's move out," Madarame instructed with chilled ice in his tone, the instant after he finished speaking, all of them disappeared in expertly coordinated movements that placed each team member at a specific location where he or she was to defend.

His feet settling on the marshy sand dunes below from his sonido, Grimmjow craned his light-blue head back so he may look upon the immovable, black sky that never showed any other emotion, his tanned hands inside the pockets of his hakama as he blinked at such a familiar sight, able to recall most of his vast collection of horrid memories involving being underneath such a bleak canvas.

"...I always hated this fucking place..." Grimmjow spoke his somber thoughts aloud, able to sense the approaching presence of the Hollow army before actually hearing a few of his newly-appointed comrades speed off into action, releasing their zanpakutos to begin their extermination mission.

Not at all bothered by the various sounds and vibrations of continuous battle that coursed through the stale atmosphere, Grimmjow exhaled a sigh slowly through his nose as he lowered his gaze from the tragic sky, only to nonchalantly bring one hand out of his pockets and lift it out in front of his body.

"Well...no sense in waiting..." the blue-haired espada concluded to himself, his piercing eyes glaring directly out ahead towards the many, overwhelming Hollows coming in all shapes and sizes and each with their own, horrifying white mask shielding their grotesque head.

Then, from the center of Grimmjow's outstretched palm formed a glowing red ball of dangerous energy, the size of which only having to grow for a moment more before suddenly blasting away from the sexta espada and hurdling towards the growling, snarling Hollows that had risked coming into the territory he had been assigned to protect.

The blood-red cero cut cleanly down the middle of the rampaging Hollow army venturing his way, severing off limbs and slicing through hardened masks, before Grimmjow tactfully sonido-ed from his spot and raced towards the pained and howling creatures, a massive smile adorning Jeagerjaques' handsome face as he pulled out his other hand from his pocket so he may begin tearing them apart as he pleased.

"Ha ha ha...too easy...!" Grimmjow cackled with ferocious glee as he delivered a superb kick to the side of a Hollow's mask, making the white material shatter as the creature's head was forced right off its shoulders from such brutality, before Grimmjow fluidly moved onto his next target in a seamless flurry of savage, effective maneuvers for close-range combat.

Using his fatal hands, the sexta espada seized the arms, heads, and legs of the growling mob of swarming Hollows, each one being ripped off in a never-ending spray of darkened blood that misted the air above them all, as Grimmjow's menacing smile and startling blue eyes were the last things the hideous creatures saw before meeting otherworldly amounts of pain and, then ultimately, their deaths.

Already closing in on another Hollow before the last one had completely fallen to the white, encompassing sand below, Grimmjow initiated his executions to the Hollow army swiftly, only catching glimpses of his soul reaper comrades from their own positions across the territory doing the same, as Jeagerjaques appeared behind a warped, horse-like creature and drove his fist mercilessly into the Hollow's back.

The masked creature roared from its long, white jaws in tremendous pain, Grimmjow's cobalt eyes narrowing madly from behind it, as he closed his fingers around the Hollow's spine and ripped the whole, lengthy collection of U-shaped bones from the hole he had created, instantly causing the Hollow's extraordinary death as it crumbled to his feet.

Then, within a blink of an eye, Ikkaku Madarame appeared by Grimmjow's side just as the espada had freed his stained, dripping arm from the destroyed Hollow on the ground and went onto extinguishing the next one who was attempting to ambush him, the bald-headed soul reaper holding his beloved Hozukimaru in its staff form.

"Thought you could use a hand..." the appointed team leader spoke to Grimmjow as he thrust Hozukimaru straight into the incomplete gut of an oncoming Hollow, making it screech horridly, before Madarame delivered a fast snap upward with his weapon that had the Hollow split into two halves, "...most of them seem to be coming this way towards you..."

"...heh..." Grimmjow smirked at his squad member's comment, as he finished twisting off another head of a Hollow that practically painted his black robes in shaded blood, the espada knowing that the reason the Hollows were flocking towards him alone was because of his familiar, enticing scent that promised immense power along with the consumption of his soul, "...let 'em come; I'm having the time of my life ripping them apart!"

Ikkaku mirrored the cocky smirk that Grimmjow also wore as the two of them had their backs to each other whilst they faced off with more Hollows, each feeling comfortable and rather lighthearted at their now combined effort, much like trusted comrades would get along on as well as off the battlefield, as he replied, "I second that, friend."

Grimmjow's smile increased on his features, the espada admittedly feeling surprisingly pleased with himself and his current contributions to the causes of the Soul Society as he fought directly alongside Ikkaku Madarame and the others respectively, as the blue-haired male deftly sonido-ed right underneath a towering Hollow with giant teeth that protruded out of his unsightly mouth.

"Ha...!" Grimmjow shouted in victory as he shoved the ax of his elbow up into the bottom of the Hollow's jaw, making the creature gnash and break his own teeth before the sexta espada used the opportunity of having the Hollow with its head thrown back to violently kick his opponent firmly in his exposed, round gut.

"Nice one!" Madarame commented in his usual gravelly voice, a smirk being evident in his tone to his comrade, however, as he concluded beheading another few Hollows whom he had already cut short but slicing their oddly-bent legs off at the knee.

"Thanks!" Grimmjow replied heartily, each male sparing the other a brief glance of approval of their fighting style and merit, before simultaneously resuming their task at hand as Grimmjow dodged a hasty swipe of massive claws aimed at his whole body as he latched an iron-strong hand onto the throat of the offending creature, ready to squeeze the pitiful life out of the grey-blue Hollow within his grasp.

However, in the midst of jerking out a sizable fistful of the Hollow's vulnerable throat, Grimmjow could feel something change in the air around him; something that was apart from Ikkaku Madarame fighting on his own only a few yards away from him.

A shift in the amount of energy within the atmosphere, a substantial glitch in the level of comfort he generally felt, Grimmjow's movements halted as his beautiful eyes grew wide as he quickly realized just what exactly had happened.

"Madarame...!" Grimmjow dropped the lifeless corpse draped over his arm to the ground as he turned towards the direction of the fighting soul reaper, no longer caring of the furious numbers of Hollow still closing in around him as he spoke, "...I need to head back to the Soul Society!"

"Wait, Grimmjow...!" Ikkaku shouted to the blue-haired male who was already turning around in his spot and opening a garganta of his own with a touch of his fingers against the space before him, making the immediate scenery in front of the espada seem to give way to a blank void through which he was to pass.

In a rush of flat black against the black of sky, Grimmjow slipped through the large tear to the atmosphere he had made and ventured forth to the Soul Society, the knowledge thrumming violently within his veins that many, powerful beings had done the same only a few moments ago.

X

Ninety-three minutes later, upon having entered the Seireitei...

Grimmjow Jeajerjaques could practically taste the malicious contempt in the otherwise clean air as the espada darted through the evacuated streets of the large city, barely taking enough time to let his feet touch upon a solid surface before sprinting towards the direction of the highest spikes of energy and conflict, a place where he knew he would find the one he wanted, the one he had to protect.

"_Byakuya...wait for me...don't try to do any of this on your own..."_ Grimmjow thought heavily to himself, his immaculate white teeth grit in frustration and worry as the blue-haired male bypassed influx after influx of intense spiritual pressure, every flare that seemed to beat against the side of his skull due to the current battles being fought at the guarded borders.

Constant fighting was going on everywhere; highly-trained tactics and special maneuvers bursting with exceptional presences that were aimed to guarantee either the preservation or complete destruction of the Soul Society seemed to radiate and sculpt the present atmosphere, making it electric, thin, and incredibly vibrant to be a part of.

The espada, however, paid little mind to the lustful callings of the surrounding battles being waged on all sides of him just beyond his vision, as he continued to rush passed the stoic and momentarily untouched scenery so he may reach his destination, the one whose calling to him meant much more to him than just the thrill of ruthless combat.

However, just as Grimmjow was about to descend from a mighty leap onto one of the long-winding roofs that colored the bone-white walls that created such mazes around the area, a gigantic blast of blinding red shot directly in front of Jeagerjaques, making the tall, tanned male have to vanish in an expertly-timed sonido that placed him just out of the way.

Striking blue eyes narrowed as Grimmjow looked to his right, his feet sliding smoothly against the air and away from the tops of the circling roofs, as he caught sight of the numerous, towering Menos Grande that wavered along with their great strides towards him.

"...tch," Grimmjow voiced, his upper lip curling a bit in disgust at the sight of such mediocre enemies that were approaching his position, the Menos Grande crushing walls and watchtowers with effortless movements as every one of them readied another round of ceros to shoot directly at the scowling espada.

"Get the hell out of my way, you bastards!" Grimmjow roared as he sped towards the crowding Menos Grande in an encouraging display of brash valor, before the destructive espada disappeared just as the Menos all released their ceros and destroyed the area which Grimmjow had just been occupying.

Jeagerjaques sprang into action right in front of the white-masked fleet, his arms spread wide and his smile even broader, before he suddenly brought both of his palms out in front of him, creating two, powerful ceros that he knew would obliterate such meager opponents as he distastefully eyed the sky-scraping collection of unworthy foes.

However, just as Grimmjow unleashed his cero beams in a delightful fury towards his disintegrating enemies that screeched and flailed uselessly before burning to sodden ash, both of his arms were seized and pulled roughly behind his body, the force of which tugging the blue-haired male hard against a solid, unrelenting build.

Grimmjow's smile immediately dropped from his features, his eyes wide and a silent gasp leaving his lips as he now fully felt every ounce of the extreme, unparalleled spiritual pressure that had been kept hidden from him until this moment, this moment where he could now register how clearly demented and sinister his stalking captor truly was.

"Well, well...look what I've caught in my trap...we all thought you were dead!" drawled a sickeningly acidic voice to the side of Grimmjow's blue head, every word spoken from said man making the sexta espada's eyes narrow as a few more strands of his sky-colored hair fell across his brow.

"...Nnoitora..." Grimmjow growled angrily, trying in one, harsh movement to yank his arms out of the tall, crazed espada's grasp, Jeagerjaques hating how he could feel his efforts fail as the quinto espada tightened his hold and leaned in even closer to before speaking to him.

"You should have known better, Grimmjow..." the forever grinning espada placated the blue-haired male in front of him, the quinto espada's single, visible eye peering madly down at Grimmjow's furious, tanned features from overhead whilst he continued, "...sending all of those low-level Hollows and Adjuchas here was only a diversion. Lord Aizen is already here...demolishing the heart of this ridiculous place as we speak!"

Grimmjow growled at Nnoitora Jiruga's obnoxious words, prying his arms out of the taller male's long fingers at last with a violent surge forward before the sexta espada spun around in his place to face his former comrade in arms.

"If that's how it is..."Grimmjow smirked devilishly at Nnoitora's lengthy frame, only letting his lovely sapphire gaze drift to his enemy's enormous double-bladed scythe for a fraction of a second before returning to the quinto espada's Cheshire cat smile, "...then I should hurry up and finish you now...I got more important things to do."

"Ha ha ha!" Nnoitora laughed heartily at Jeagerjaques' proposal before cocking his raven head to a side as he regarded the handsome, dangerously serious male before him, watching indifferently as Grimmjow slipped into a proper fighting stance with nothing but somber hatred marring his gorgeous features towards him, "...you know what; I've always liked you, Grimmjow! I think you and I have always shared something in common...so, I'll take you up on your offer and see if our blood runs the same as well! Tesla!"

Grimmjow cocked up an eyebrow as Nnoitora's attractive, blonde-haired fraccion quickly appeared from behind a nearby wall, his gloved hands folded behind his back in a gesture of loyalty and servitude, as the youngest arrancar nervously responded, "Y-Yes, Master Nnoitora...?"

"Do not interfere. Is that understood, Tesla? This is between me...and the sexta..." the quinto espada snapped heatedly at his fraccion member as he slung Santa Teresa out in front of his extremely slender body, making both of the crescent moon blades point straight at Jeagerjaques who had not moved a muscle throughout the exchange between the other arrancars in his midst.

"Hmph..." Grimmjow sneered coldly towards Jiruga's incessant cackling and madness as he swiftly drew his zanpakuto from its sheath on his left side, holding his beloved blade close to his body as he brought his free hand to the cool metal and then scratched his nails against the razor-sharp surface, "...grind...Pantera!"

X

Several hours later, at another part of the Seireitei...

"Send reinforcements to all of the northern locations immediately!" Byakuya Kuchiki ordered with urgent fire in his somber voice, directing another specialized team to move out as per his command as every one of them vanished from view the moment the captain had finished speaking.

Byakuya briefly licked the roof of his dry mouth, his thoughts running endlessly inside his mind, cluttering him with ideas of further strategies, back-up tactics, which teams were still left to receive orders, and what they should all do if the worst was to happen even despite their greatest of efforts.

Byakuya swallowed down the small amount of spit that had collected at the back of his throat, needing the moisture to saturate his arid mouth and tongue as his ash-colored eyes peered across the ravished territory littered with curling streams of grey-white smoke and crumbled architecture that scattered along the large, open courtyards and walkways like fallen prey.

The raven-haired noble along with Shuuhei Hisagi of squad nine had been assigned to such a devastated place to handle the chaotic aftermath of demolished, unorganized teams and overflowing Hollows whom had only recently been beaten back far enough to allow some temporary peace to the battle-riddled area.

"Quite a lovely sight, isn't it...Byakuya Kuchiki..." purred a confident, silken voice from behind the squad six captain, instantly making a small shudder coarse its icy way down his spine as Byakuya steeled his jaw, refusing to let his eyes display even the briefest trace of his panic as he began smoothly turning around in his spot to face the owner of such a familiar, unwanted voice.

"_He's already here...I thought we would have had more time..."_ Byakuya quickly surmised to himself upon hearing the traitor's collected words to him, feeling his overwhelming presence surround him and stifle the very air above him before the complete vision of Sosuke Aizen nearly blinded him with so much white haze and internal fury.

"...a great deal different than the last time I saw it, but...I think I...like this way better," Aizen continued in a purposeful calm to the stunned soul reaper, as the man with soft-looking, oak-colored eyes sauntered slowly towards the immobile Kuchiki whilst he spoke about the evident destruction of most of the once-pristine Seireitei.

"Not another step closer...traitor..."Byakuya warned the pleasantly grinning superior of all that resided in Hueco Mundo in a low, no-nonsense voice, the noble feeling his palms at his sides tingle with the need to move, the need to call forth his trusted Senbonsakura straight away and fight the brown-haired male standing before him with everything he had, while he continued to remain wary and as still as a statue during their time-freezing exchange.

"There's no need for name-calling, Byakuya..."Aizen's watery tone and simple smile made the noble's blood run even hotter with unbearable rage kept stored away within the depths of his high resolve and clenched fists, as the raven narrowed his eyes at the infamous enemy's degrading casualness with him, "...one would think that a man of your stature would be above such childish things..."

"Aizen..." Byakuya barely had enough time to spat the name in between his grit teeth before the brown-haired male was suddenly right in front of him, now grinning in the noble's pale, diamond-cut face as Aizen narrowed his own eyes as he finally allowed some of his own disdain to appear on his otherwise untouched features.

"Make no mistake, Kuchiki...you are not worthy to speak my name...my name, which has brought palpable fear to all within the Soul Society for _years_..." Aizen fumed in his controlled, menacing manner, his words hot and intimidating across Byakuya's furrowed brow as the noble struggled to be so close to such immense, destructive force behind those warm, brown eyes daring him to defy his words, "...you cannot even imagine what it means to have the kind of power I have...so I guess I'll have to..."

Then, before Aizen could finish his intensifying, ice-cold threat to the squad six captain, grey eyes widened at the unexpected sensation of someone suddenly grabbing him by the robes across his chest and arm, making both him and his captor blink out of view for a second before reappearing several yards away from a stationary Sosuke Aizen.

"Grimmjow...!" Byakuya gasped upon seeing the blue-haired arrancar standing in front of him with his back facing him, his feet parted wide as his stance was kept savagely defensive towards his former superior Aizen, Grimmjow's massive arms lifted and at the ready for either attack maneuvers or immediate protection for Kuchiki located behind him as the sexta espada took haggard, labored breaths.

Byakuya's lips parted in shock, his eyes instantly carrying the worry that consumed his mind as he let his gaze take in the many, vicious tears and slices to Grimmjow's broad, exposed back and arms, the espada nearly covered in fresh red blood and smears of dried black, as the whole top of his robes now lie in scant tatters that hung down across his hakama.

"...don't...fucking...touch him..." Grimmjow stated to a seemingly bemused and patient Aizen amidst his staggered breathing, his blood-streaked, cobalt eyes peering across the sizable distance towards the brown-haired male who licked his lips before speaking to him.

"This is a surprise. Grimmjow Jeagerjaques...we all thought you were dead," Aizen all but chuckled at the heavily bloodied espada that now stood in his way, the latter's large, severely battered frame effectively shielding a deeply troubled Kuchiki from most of the enemy's view as Grimmjow rolled his eyes upon hearing the same comment made to him once more.

"Yeah, that's what I keep hearing..." Grimmjow scoffed at the returning idea, his evident battle fatigue, however, seeming to be too far gone within the blue-haired male as he blinked slowly at the somewhat clear image of his former Lord, "...but here I am..."

"Indeed..." Aizen replied with a more contemplative than conversational tone, as he tilted his brown head slightly to a side whilst he continued to regard the miraculously standing, but forever defiant espada whom the sight of which personally angered him all the more in such a situation.

"Grimmjow..."Byakuya whispered from behind his lover, reaching an unsure hand out and gingerly touching Grimmjow's lower back with only the pads of his fingertips, just to let him know that he was worried for him, that he should not be here in such danger for him like this...that he needed to get as far away from Aizen as possible right now.

Grimmjow's partially slumping frame trembled acutely at Byakuya's loving touch to his broken and bloodied skin, the espada cherishing the message that he could feel Kuchiki was trying to convey to him from such a simple, careful caress, but the sapphire-eyed male snapped his fading vision to full alertness, forcing away the murky blur that threatened to overcome him as he abruptly sonido-ed from his spot and away from Byakuya's warmth.

The smile adorning Aizen's handsome face widened upon seeing Grimmjow vanish from view with unmatched hatred in his blue orbs, the proclaimed ruler of Hueco Mundo closing his own eyes peacefully, as he suddenly thrust his left hand towards his right side and solidly caught the sexta espada's wrist just as Jeagerjaques had appeared in the air next to him and had attempted to deal him a hefty blow in one of Aizen's blind spots.

"Argh...!" Grimmjow growled from having his attack foiled with excruciating ease by his former Lord, his bleeding lips snarling up in red-hot pain and horrible anger as Aizen used his crushing hold on Grimmjow's wrist to whip his body around so that they may face each other.

"Uh-uh...naughty little kitten...and here I was hoping that you might have learned some manners, Grimmjow," Aizen taunted the tanned male within his grasp cruelly, the brown-haired male not even waiting for any kind of reply from his former subordinate before lifting up his free hand to the jaw-like fragment of Grimmjow's Hollow mask that covered his right cheek.

"...no! Release him, Aizen!" Byakuya shouted to the calmly brutal and serenely insane Sosuke Aizen as the raven-haired heir watched in absolute horror as the white-clad male squeezed his fingers around Grimmjow's Hollow mask fragment, making the arrancar hoarsely cry out in sheer agony as his red-soaked body tried vainly to squirm away from such merciless treatment.

"...or what..?" Aizen posed the question plainly to Byakuya, blinking his oak-colored gaze towards the hesitating Kuchiki as Byakuya's charcoal eyes darted from a tortured, blood-dripping Grimmjow to the smirking, arrogant face of the notorious criminal of the Soul Society, "...what could you possibly do to me...?"

Upon hearing Aizen's cheerfully condescending statements towards Byakuya, Grimmjow cracked open one, fiery blue eye, the espada ruefully swallowing down his breaking pain, as he grit his bloodied teeth hard before latching his own hands onto Aizen's outstretched wrist and twisting with all of his remaining strength.

The firm sound of small but resilient bones breaking reverberated within the thick, pensive air around them all, followed closely by Aizen growling heavily before sucking in great deal of air in between clenched teeth as he withdrew his snapped wrist back towards his body whilst Grimmjow landed on the polished stone in an exhausted, kneeling position with his head bowed low.

"...how dare you..." Aizen spoke quietly at first, his voice barely being heard by the rapidly fading espada and the soul reaper now rushing to his side, before the brown-haired Lord abruptly shouted in all his overwhelming rage towards his former officer, "How dare you, you worthless rodent! I created you; I can take you apart with even less effort, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques!"

"...stay back, Byakuya!" Grimmjow overcame his flooding, enveloping fatigue from overexertion and blood-loss one last time so he may call to his approaching lover, before turning his matted, blue head back towards the fuming Sosuke Aizen who was already rearing back his uninjured hand to strike.

Grimmjow blinked tiredly at the otherwise frightening vision of Aizen, all considerations of maintaining his flawless and unperturbed mannerisms gone, as if the espada had already accepted his fate, as the latter finally slammed his fist into the side of Grimmjow's face, sending Jeagerjaques soaring over the rubble that cluttered the majority of the vast expanse of territory, before crashing chaotically into a rock wall a few hundred yards away from their position.

Smoldering eyes the color of sharpened steel watched as Grimmjow's body tore into the massive rock wall, creating a huge, uneven crater from the impact as the espada had his eyes closed whilst he fell away from the smashed rocks and debris and landed lifelessly onto the unforgiving ground below, unmoving and without uttering a sound.

Byakuya could not blink, his jaw set painfully rigid, as he turned his head back towards Sosuke Aizen before him, noticing with stone-cold eyes and bitter, frozen thoughts as the brown-haired male concentrated on pulling straight any wrinkles along the cuffs of his perfectly white and black-trimmed sleeves as his face displayed nothing but bored indifference towards his deeds.

Quite unable to help the building, unrelenting rage reaching new, impossible heights inside of him, making his need to engage in battle and feel the blood and severed flesh of his opponents spills across his gloved hands become unbelievably intoxicating to his every sense, Byakuya Kuchiki had to remember how to breathe properly as he uncurled his fingers from against his palms, the completion of the gesture immediately resulting in staggering amounts of bright pink sakura blades to abruptly rise up from the ground in swirling, towering levels behind him, the sight absolutely lovely and stunning in its promise of inevitable destruction.

Meanwhile, half-lidded blue eyes struggled to blink open as the fallen, battle-torn espada felt featherlight touches to his shoulder, coupled with a voice that was slowly becoming clearer to the rousing Jeagerjaques.

"...huh...?" Grimmjow muttered before wincing in discomfort as his senses started rushing back to him, allowing him to realize the massive amounts of razor-sharp pain he was in, as well as to see the sunny, orange hair that topped the pointed, concerned face that was currently looming over him, talking to him.

"...good..." Ichigo Kurosaki, dressed in his typical, fitting black attire accustomed to his bankai, spoke to Grimmjow as he withdrew his hand from the sexta espada's shoulder and rested his wrist along the top of his knee while he stayed crouched by his side at the moment, "...looks like you managed to survive."

"...can't say the same for Nnoitora..."Grimmjow attempted to joke in spite of the way he was losing his vision once more to a quickly surrounding blur that ebbed into a gradual, eerie black, "...how's...?"

"Byakuya?" Ichigo finished for Jeagerjaques, before moving out of Grimmjow's way so that the blue-haired male could see the mountains of beautiful, fatal petals that surrounded and obeyed the Kuchiki heir's every command as the raven seemed to be making the elegant lines of his bankai dance around the vast area, maneuvering and attacking and dodging in brilliant patterns around a lone, brown-haired male, "...see for yourself."

Grimmjow's unsteady breathing hitched in his throat upon seeing his lover engaging in such intense battle, the expression on Byakuya's heavenly face displaying pure determination to win and see to the eminent demise of one Sosuke Aizen for everything that he had done.

Byakuya was absolutely mesmerizing, the sophistication of his blows and tactics were unlike anything Grimmjow had ever seen before, dazzling in its efficiency and grace whilst still being an awe-striking sight to behold, and it was with total reluctance that the espada had to lie his head back down against the grainy surface of the ground and forfeit his view of his enticing lover.

"What the hell are you still doing over here, Kurosaki...go help him..." Grimmjow ordered with physical pain evident in his words as he winced once more, his eyes squeezing shut as he just barely heard Ichigo speak to him a final time before suddenly flash stepping away from his side and towards the occupied Kuchiki so he may do exactly as Grimmjow had requested.

"You got it...I'll make sure nothing happens to him," Ichigo had promised the unconscious espada, the vizard's iron-clad words accompanying his fierce determination spectacularly as the orange-haired young man had witnessed the moment that Grimmjow had sped to Byakuya's aid, deliberately getting in between Kuchiki and Aizen, as the espada had attempted to defend the raven, even while being in the horrible state he was.

Everything had made sense to the brown-eyed young man in that instant upon seeing such a reckless, unexplainable act; Grimmjow was in love with Byakuya.

Ichigo tightened his grip along Zangetsu while also bringing his free hand up to his face, hooking his fingers around the accumulating force that he made concentrate towards him as Kurosaki began drawing his Hollow mask over his face, his power increasing exponentially as he sped to Byakuya's side, intent on seeing his promise through and preserving the evident, pure relationship between the noble soul reaper and his loyal espada.

_Author's Note:_ It's true. I have major, secret love for Tesla. More to come with him (fufufu). XD Anywho, I figure this fic has maybe another chapter or so and then IT IS DONE! WOOO! Finally, I know right lol.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Lovely onyx eyes slowly opened, blinking a few times to adjust to the overwhelming brightness of the room that contrasted so heavily with the solid darkness of slumber, as Byakuya Kuchiki moved his tongue around the inside of his mouth while more and more thoughts and realizations starting flooding his systems with sensory information.

The air around him smelled clean and crisp enough to a calming purity, and the raven-haired noble allowed a great amount of the treated atmosphere to deeply fill and rejuvenate his lungs as he naturally became more alert in spite of his comfortable reclining position atop the adequately-sized yet simple white mattress.

Thick gauze bandages were expertly wrapped around Kuchiki's left arm and stomach, mostly hidden from view as per the light-grey kimono that was kept loosely wound about his healing frame as Byakuya lowered his gaze to his hands, one covered with the durable white material around his fingers while the other remained bare.

"_Grimmjow..."_Byakuya's thoughts suddenly flared with images of the gorgeous, blue-haired male, fluidly remembering how the espada, being covered in gaping wounds that had stained the polished ground below with dark crimson, had come to him whence he had been faced with Aizen.

Grimmjow's bloodied flesh had been slightly chilled whence Byakuya had reached out his hand and touched him; Jeagerjaques having deliberately risked getting in Aizen's way whence those emotionless, brown eyes had been directed towards him, as the Kuchiki could now vividly recall exactly how much pressing hatred he had felt boiling inside of him whence he had witnessed Grimmjows's kneeling form being struck by the ruthless traitor.

Then, just as Byakuya's eyes widened a bit upon being able to see memories of his heated battle with the crazed, powerful Lord, the door to his room was opened with a slight creak in the wood, gaining his immediate attention as the nobleman beheld an extremely nervous Isane Kotetsu, lieutenant of squad four.

"Captain Kuchiki, sir...?" Isane awaited by the door frame, her hands folded in front of her as her serious face displayed mild, respectful concern for the superior officer in the room.

"Yes, lieutenant Kotetsu; you may enter," the captain of squad six calmed his expression even though he could not calm down his racing mind, only half-way watching as Isane hesitantly shuffled inside his medical room within the squad four facilities.

"You...seem to be doing much better, sir! Captain Unohana personally performed your surgery and everything went as well as it could have...she...she really is amazing..." the tall, female lieutenant rambled on with a growing, proud smile as she spoke about her captain to Byakuya before the raven-haired noble cut her off with the few questions that were positively burning through his mind.

"What happened to Grimmjow? Where is he...is he alright?" Kuchiki posed question after question to the startled grey-haired woman, who attempted to avert her eyes anywhere else in the room besides Byakuya's demanding, ash-colored stare and inquiries about the sexta espada.

"Well, you see, sir...he's still...well, he hasn't woken up yet...he's in another room down the hall, and..." Isane stumbled through a passable answer as she shifted her weight anxiously on her feet, her struggling words completely evading her, however, as Byakuya suddenly threw the light-weight blankets from over him and began moving out of his bed.

"Captain Kuchiki, sir! What are you doing? You shouldn't be out of bed so soon like this...there...there are still...tests to be done, and..." the panicking female blurted out in sporadic spurts to the highly-regarded nobleman who drew his bandaged and bare hands to the long, loose ends of his obi and tightened their hold around his slim waist, steel-colored eyes looking passed Isane and towards the door that he immediately began walking towards.

"Sir, I...I really must insist that you get back in bed...Captain Unohana will be here any minute to check on you..." Lieutenant Kotetsu rambled on even though she quickly moved completely out of Byakuya's way, allowing him access to the lengthy corridor from his room, but not before the raven-haired male stopped abruptly by her panicking side prior to exiting.

"...I need to see him," the squad six captain spoke solemnly to the worried-looking woman, his eyes never wavering from being set directly out ahead of him as he then continued to swiftly pad down the off-white and wood-trimmed hallway of squad four and towards the room where he could feel the most spiritual pressure, his bare feet tapping against the cool tiled flooring as he went.

Long locks the color of the darkest midnight hour fell across Byakuya's shoulders and fluttered around his graceful neck as the pale, beautiful soul reaper came to a stop outside the opened doorway to the medical room, his eyes instantly taking in the large, blanket-covered form that lie motionless on top of the single bed, before Kuchiki's vision expanded to notice the blonde-haired, white-dressed youth that sat in a chair looking over Grimmjow.

"I uh...don't know whether to...hate him...or follow him..." the depressed, soft-spoken arrancar admitted to an attentive Byakuya as the latter exhaled the breath he had not realized he had been holding and then cautiously, courteously entered into the medical room, his eyes observing more and more about the unconscious espada and the various tubes that were linked into his exposed arms and mouth, providing the blue-haired male with fluids and medicines that he needed to help his compromised systems.

The Kuchiki heir remained quiet as he stood beside young arrancar currently sitting by Grimmjow's side, his one, visible eye peering down at an end of the blankets that were wrapped around Jeagerjaques' heavily bandaged torso and chest, as Byakuya knew that he still had more to say to him.

"...he...killed Master Nnoitora, and now...now I don't have anyone..."the troubled blonde finished before dropping his gaze even lower to the clean floor beneath his feet, his sullen, defeated tone capturing Byakuya's softened gaze for a moment as the noble chose his words to the young man carefully.

"What is your name, arrancar?" Byakuya asked firmly but not harshly, his sudden, simple question making the lovely young man beside him snap his head up and cast his surprised, light-grey gaze directly at Byakuya's profile.

"It's...it's Tesla...sir," the white-clad arrancar answered the calm yet concentrating soul reaper by his side, watching adamantly as Byakuya turned his face to regard him once more before speaking.

"You will find your way here, Tesla...I'm certain of it," the captain responded evenly to Tesla before switching his gaze back on Grimmjow's tanned, peaceful face tilted just slightly against one of the pillows there, feeling his own sense of calm he displayed to the youth attempt to waver within him upon not being able to see those vibrant, blue depths of his like he so craved.

"There were some complications earlier on with his treatment..." Tesla reported loyally to Kuchiki as he stood up from sitting on the chair, both males looking over Grimmjow's impressive but healing frame, finding the image wholly disheartening that such a brash, life-loving person was in such a recuperative, lifeless state, as the raven-haired male clung to the young arrancar's every word, "...he was in so much pain when they first brought him in that he was constantly thrashing about...so they had to tie him down before proceeding any further."

At this, Byakuya's brow furrowed in question before the noble stepped even closer to the fallen espada and slightly leaned over his bedside, bringing up his hands and running them down one of Grimmjow's arms partially underneath the thin covers before the soul reaper felt the cool metal of a sturdy shackle that was clamped around Grimmjow's wrist.

"_...Grimmjow...why..."_ Byakuya mentally sighed, a pained frown forming his lips as he kept his hands light but reassuring on Grimmjow's arm, needing to physically touch his skin as he absentmindedly rubbed his thumb over the espada's flesh, _"...what pain he must have been in...what horrible...I should have been there with him..."_

"The latest update about his condition was that he is stable, and that his injuries are sure to heal in time with the proper post-treatment...but...the doctors...don't know when he might wake up," Tesla concluded with a drop in his pleasant voice as he relayed the news about the man whom Byakuya loved, the espada whom Byakuya knew he could stand to lose no matter what...his heart simply would not be strong enough to handle such devastation for a second time.

"He will wake up..."Byakuya corrected Tesla's particular wording in a solid, resolute voice, catching his comrade's singular gaze once more as Tesla appeared to look up at Kuchiki's taller frame with hope gracing his lovely features from the older gentleman's faith, "...Grimmjow...is too stubborn to be beaten so easily."

Tesla's lips formed a small, knowing smirk at Byakuya's words to him, as he looked over the fiery, blue-haired espada once more, remembering just how Jeagerjaques had performed in battle against his former master, Nnoitora, like a wild, savage predator ruthlessly maneuvering about his inevitable prey, stopping at nothing as he had completely disregarded how many times the numerous blades of Nnoitora's released Santa Teresa cut and stabbed him while he attacked and attacked again.

"...you're right, sir..." Tesla responded quietly, just before the both of them turned their heads back towards the opened doorway where two other people entered into Grimmjow's room with calm expressions on either of their faces.

"Captain Kuchiki...I had a feeling you might be in here," commented the peaceful, forever understanding voice of Captain Unohana, as her violet eyes smiled approvingly at her comrade and current patient, grinning lazily beside her was Captain Kyoroku, dressed in his typical, flower-patterned kimono with his hands buried in the opposite sleeve.

"You assumed correctly..." Byakuya began as he turned to regard the two other soul reapers, his movement prompting Tesla to also turn around to face them as well as he folded his hands behind his back and waited for the squad six captain to finish speaking, "...how long is Grimmjow expected to be in recovery?"

"Well...from what I can tell, with the rapid acceleration of his healing abilities, he should be able to leave within the following week, but after that..." Captain Unohana informed everyone in the room as she elegantly made her way to Jeagerjaques' bedside and reached a pale, delicate hand down to his forehead, moving some of the espada's sky-blue locks of hair from his brow as she also felt for any abnormal heat to be present, "...it will be up to him and the ones closest to him how quickly he is totally healed."

"...I see," Byakuya responded pensively to the female captain's words, immediately recognizing the insinuated points that Grimmjow would most likely be banned from duty and made to partake in rehabilitation formalities for quite a while during his post-surgery care, something that the Kuchiki heir could already picture the feisty espada would not take too kindly in hearing later, "...thank you, Captain Unohana."

"There's no need to thank me...just...make sure he does not push himself too hard in the near future," the aged but sophisticated captain commented to the raven-haired male as she finished gently checking Grimmjow's normal temperature, offered a pleasant smile to everyone present, and then began taking her leave.

Byakuya and Shunsui both briefly lowered their heads in respect for the wise female captain leaving the medical room, as Tesla placed a gloved hand over his chest and bowed slightly to her departing form, his highly-formal gesture not going unnoticed by the captain of squad eight.

"Why, hello there...I don't believe we've met yet;" Captain Kyoroku began in a smooth, velvety voice and charming smile to the blonde-haired arrancar standing beside Byakuya, the brown-haired soul reaper's eyes glinting a bit as they narrowed meaningfully yet stealthily at the sight of Tesla's short-cropped locks that framed his lovely face and brought out his enchanting, silver gaze perfectly, "...I'm Shunsui Kyoroku, captain of squad eight...and...who might you be, beautiful...?"

Before answering, the white-clad arrancar silently turned his head towards Byakuya, seeming to seek permission from the Kuchiki noble prior to uttering a word; something that the pale soul reaper instantly understood and nodded to him in approval.

"My name is Tesla, sir...it's a pleasure to meet you," Tesla spoke cordially as he took a step closer to Kyoroku and then proceeded to place his hand over his chest and perform the same bow to him as Unohana, but was stopped short as the scruff-wearing captain caught Tesla's hand with his own that had quickly emerged from his sleeves and then lifted the arrancar's gloved fingers to his smiling lips.

"The pleasure is all mine...Tesla..." Shunsui cooed with a quick wink to the surprised blonde male before placing a tender, featherlight kiss to the top of Tesla's hand, secretly delighting in how the young arrancar gasped as soon as he did so, and then naturally released his fingers from his hold.

"Captain Kyoroku, it has come to my attention that Tesla here is without a place in the Soul Society..." Byakuya began speaking to the pink-wearing captain who finally lifted his eyes from staring unabashedly at the blonde-haired young man to his fellow captain's serious expression, "...if it is not too much of an inconvenience for squad eight, I recommend that you be the one to take him in."

Tesla glanced at the raven-haired noble, his lips parting ever-so slightly in readable shock as Byakuya seemed to have single-handedly solved his most pressing problem of being alone with nowhere to go, before Tesla turned his moonlight-colored gaze back towards a smirking Captain Kyoroku, awaiting his answer.

"My, my...how things turn out..." Shunsui chuckled aloud to himself and for Byakuya to hear as well, as he turned his body partially towards the doorway, giving Tesla a well-meaning, sideways look as he spoke to him, "...well, you heard the man..."

"So...does this mean that...you are my new Master...?" Tesla asked with adorable uncertainty as he took another hesitant step forward, knowing that Shunsui wished for him to hurry to his side with the way he was angling his body towards the doorway, as his question made Byakuya smirk softly and lower his gaze while the captain of squad eight parted his lips in mild surprise whilst he regarded the arrancar.

"I'm flattered and all..."Shunsui began in his lighthearted wit, as he extended a large hand out towards the blonde-haired young man, who gingerly lifted his own black gloved appendage and obligingly slid his fingers against the older soul reaper's, letting the extraordinarily mellow and laid-back male tug him forward, as he continued, "...but it's not exactly going to work like that. How about...you just call me Shunsui..."

"But, sir! I could never show you such little respect; I should..."Tesla tried to protest as the pink-wearing male smiled at the endearing youth walking alongside him as they both took their leave of the medical room, the squad eight captain now with his precious, unbelievably perfect charge by his side and talking animatedly with him.

"Nope; that's the way it's going to be..." Kyoroku confirmed cheerfully, his words becoming less and less clear for the Kuchiki heir to hear from where he was as the soul reaper captain and the eye patch-wearing beauty navigated down the nearest corridor of the facility, "...trust me, I'm going to do everything in my power to help you be more comfortable here, Tesla."

"...th-thank you...sir," Tesla breathed the words of genuine gratitude as he allowed for Shunsui to wrap an burly arm around his shoulders, hugging the smaller male tightly to his side as they both ventured out of the squad four territory and towards their own, the brown-haired captain admittedly wanting to show off his new recruit and personal interest to a few people along the way.

Meanwhile, back inside the medical room, Byakuya, now standing alone and watching over Grimmjow, placed his pale, bandaged hands on top of the pliant mattress beside his lover's arm, the heir bending over at the waist as he softly pressed his lips to Grimmjow's forehead.

"Please wake up...wake up so I can take you home, where you belong..."Kuchiki whispered almost silently for solely the espada to hear, as he kissed Grimmjow's peaceful brow whilst he slumbered in recuperation, the raven-haired male feeling the ache deep within himself more than ever to be able to see Grimmjow's breathtakingly blue eyes peering back at him, coupled with his wide, devilishly handsome smile that Byakuya knew he had come to love greatly.

"...mmh..." sounded quietly from the bedridden espada, and Byakuya quickly removed his lips from Grimmjow's forehead so he may look over him once more, ash-colored eyes roaming all over Jeagerjaques' attractive face to take notice of any changes.

Grimmjow's brow furrowed slightly, the tip of his little, pink tongue briefly swiping across his bottom lip, as the espada sighed the air out of his nose while he gradually let go of his grip on his dreamless sleep, letting his groggy senses begin to hint and peek through his semi-conscious state.

"Grimmjow...!" Byakuya shamelessly exclaimed, carefully but urgently placing his hands on either side of Grimmjow's face, cradling the jaw-like fragment of his mask against his one palm whilst he did so, as the soul reaper's eyes widened the more he saw Jeagerjaques stir from his sleep and become aware of the things around him, of Byakuya holding him.

"I'm right here, Grimmjow...please...open your eyes...can you do that for me...?" Byakuya pleaded with the weak espada, watching intently as Grimmjow first made a possibly pained grimace, but then slowly began opening his eyes, his lips still parted as he could only reveal half of his enchanting blue orbs for Byakuya to see.

The next breath that Byakuya took stuttered out of his lungs as beheld such a beautiful, life-saving color, taking it in to its fullest degree of comfort and feeling it make his whole body practically shiver where he stood, still holding delicately onto Grimmjow's gorgeous face as he watched as the espada let his sparkling cobalt gaze trace over his features hovering so closely to his own.

"Byakuya...? Oh my God, it feels like my head is about to explode..." Grimmjow muttered miserably, squeezing his eyes shut as evident pain tore through him for a small second, instantly robbing Byakuya from their ethereal power over his very soul before Grimmjow opened his eyes once more, this time looking at the ceiling out above him.

"Wait a minute...why am I even still alive...how...?" Grimmjow questioned his pale lover before him with confused, grave words, moving his gaze back towards Byakuya's heavenly face that was softly smiling down at him.

"You're in one of the squad four medical rooms. The doctors here treated your injuries, Grimmjow...that's why you are still alive," the Kuchiki heir answered truthfully, feeling his own heart soar at the proven prospect that his beloved blue-haired espada was going to be alright after all, a tangible relief settling agreeable inside of his chest and providing him the ability to breathe easier, happier, and with the bold ideas of the future to finally manifest within his genius mind.

"You..." Grimmjow began in mild, obviously drowsy surprise upon hearing Byakuya's explanation pertaining to his condition, as he briefly shook his head to apparently clear his muddled thoughts before directing his clearer, sapphire eyes back into Byakuya's grateful steel-colored stare, "...they actually...did that for me...saved me?"

Byakuya smiled.

"Yes...they did," Byakuya reassured his lover patiently, genuinely touched by Grimmjow's expression that displayed how he was in the midst of processing such information in spite of how poorly he felt at the moment, information that honestly meant the world to the sexta espada as he realized that he had received medical care and was breathing right this second...because the soul reapers were taking care of one of their own.

Grimmjow breathed peacefully as he softened his features, but suddenly bolted upright on top of the mattress so that he was sitting perfectly straight, completely unaware of how he had easily snapped his metal shackles off at their thick hinges that had been attached to the railing on either side of his bed as he exclaimed, "What the hell happened to Aizen?"

Byakuya was only slightly startled by Jeagerjaques' abrupt burst of energy, and held off on answering his lover straight away as he wrapped his arms lightly around Grimmjow's bandaged chest upon seeing him wince from moving so quickly.

"Easy now...you still have to heal...I won't accept anything less," Byakuya said a bit lightheartedly as he felt Grimmjow rest his weight into his supportive embrace, the Kuchiki heir taking the opportunity to breathe in Grimmjow's scent at last, cherishing the familiar warmth and earthy aroma that the blue-haired male seemed to exude no matter what, as Byakuya watched the espada's profile for signs of any discomfort.

The sexta espada relaxed exponentially inside his Kuchiki's soul-enriching embrace, lowering his blue head a bit as he simply gave his weakened body over to Byakuya's care and love, unable to help the action as he voiced a barely audible, "...thank you."

"Shortly after Ichigo Kurosaki arrived, two other captains joined me in my fight against Aizen..." the raven-haired noble began filling in his complacent lover inside his arms, his words mere whispers against Grimmjow's temple as he remained mindful of the Hollow mask fragment adorning his lover's right cheek whilst he continued, "...it was...challenging, but we were able to corner him. He's been defeated, Grimmjow..."

Byakuya felt Grimmjow tense beneath his touch, the espada's chiseled jaw setting hard as his enrapturing eyes suddenly went wide while he said nothing, Kuchiki instantly feeling the difference with his lover as he dropped his piercing grey gaze to search his tanned features.

"Did you hear what I said, Grimmjow...we killed him. Sosuke Aizen is no more..." the raven-haired soul reaper clarified with strong yet gentle words to his rigid, speechless espada, looking upon him with worry in his eyes as Byakuya could hardly tell if Grimmjow was still breathing as he held onto him.

"I..." Grimmjow began in such a strained tone that Byakuy had never heard before from the stunning, blue-haired male, as the nobleman continued to listen intently as Grimmjow swallowed down some spit before finishing his thought, "...I didn't know it would feel like this...I barely know what to think..."

"Think...that you are now completely free...that we all are..." Byakuya provided for Jeagerjaques, feeling the larger, bedridden male only now starting to let go of his crippling tension with every spoken syllable from his lover as the raven could feel Grimmjow's broad shoulders relax with both of their quiet breathing, Grimmjow's chest loosening in its unmoving stillness as the espada leaned into Kuchiki's welcomed arms once more.

"Byakuya...there's something I got to say to you..." Grimmjow licked his dry lips as he spoke his preamble to the treasured soul reaper by his side, Jeagerjaques lifting both of his bandage-wrapped hands to Byakuya's slender arms and gently taking hold of either of the noble's wrists against his palms, the metal of the broken shackles around either of Grimmjow's own wrists clanking a bit as he lightly tugged Byakuya onto the mattress in front of him.

Byakuya's heart thudded almost erratically inside his chest as he acquiesced to Grimmjow's silent wishes and sat down on the edge of the espada's hospital bed with one foot still planted on the floor as he intertwined their fingers together and lifted one of Grimmjow's injured hands to his lips, pressing a miraculously slow kiss to his lover's battered knuckles, watching as Grimmjow watched him with his naturally half-lidded and enticing eyes as he was tended to with so much velvet-soft affection.

"I have to apologize to you...I should have known that Aizen would have came here earlier than when he told us...I should have fucking been there to protect you the whole time..." Grimmjow lamented earnestly to the first person in his hardship-riddled life, drastically meaning every word that came out of his perfectly-shaped mouth as he could barely hold Byakuya's increasingly tender gaze at him.

"...you were right when you said that I shouldn't go on those missions...they separated me from you when I should have..." Grimmjow attempted to go on with his sullen apology until a firm squeeze to either of Grimmjow's metal-bound hands stopped him short of continuing as he had no choice but peer directly into Kuchiki's startlingly serious gaze that held his own with much more pointed determination.

"Don't talk such nonsense...you...came for me, right when I needed you to, and...for that...I am grateful, Grimmjow," the beautiful soul reaper captain's exceedingly heart-felt, truthful words seemed to liberate Grimmjow from his self-imposed depression as his eyes regained that certain teal-colored glint inside them that matched the lovely etchings around his eyes.

"Byakuya..."Grimmjow breathed the name as his lover released one of his hands so he may bring it up to Grimmjow's face, cupping his cheek and rubbing his thumb softly against the sensitive, blue-green markings underneath Grimmjow's ocean-colored eyes, the espada turning his face into Kuchiki's palm as he closed his eyes and kissed Byakuya's fingers affectionately, appreciatively.

"I love you," Byakuya cooed the significant words to his lover as he brought the two of them together, keeping his hold careful and delightfully possessive along Grimmjow's jaw as the two of them leaned forward slowly, each closing their eyes peacefully as they turned their heads slightly to opposite sides, inhaling the others' scent in the second of suspended, fulfilling time before pressing their lips together in a chaste, warming kiss.

Grimmjow kept his eyes closed, relishing Byakuya's kind flavor gracing his senses once more, drawing immaculate solace and feelings of perfect harmony from such encompassing sensations from Kuchiki, his touches acting as a medicinal balm to his very soul and mindset upon learning of his creator's destruction, as the two of them pulled away their tingling lips with lingering movements that signaled how neither one of them truly wanted to end their intimate contact.

"...I love you, too, Byakuya," Grimmjow whispered to his lover upon feeling the softness of their lips separate completely, his words having been breathed amiably across Byakuya's pale features that immediately took the breath straight from the soul reaper's lungs upon hearing them for the first time.

Byakuya could not say a word, his mind instantly becoming an overwhelmed explosion of tremendous, brilliant joy in such a short span of time proving to be far too immense for the nobleman to handle with as much grace as he did with everything else, as he simply held Grimmjow's patient stare with his widened, shocked, yet enlightened eyes.

"I've known for awhile that I love you...at least, I was hoping like hell that what I was feeling was love..."Grimmjow went on to explain to the silent, gaping soul reaper still residing intimately close to him, as the espada lowered his gaze for only a small second before lifting his mesmerizing blue orbs back up into Byakuya's attentive expression, the latter male's glowing features seeming to drink in and absorb every uttered syllable the blue-haired man said to him, things that the raven had waited so long to hear, "...because, at first...I just thought I going crazy...I had never felt this way before...about anything."

Byakuya could feel a warmth, as bright and radiant and cleansing as pure sunlight itself, spread throughout his entire body, a trembling through his spine being the physical jolt he needed to partake in reality versus continuing to simply listen to all of the sweet words flowing from his lover's tempting mouth before him, allowing the Kuchiki heir to process his own tumbling thoughts and emotions once more, the effects of which only enhancing how much lighter, how much happier he felt as a man as he sat there on the thin mattress inside the medical recovery room alongside his most beloved person.

Admittedly having forgotten about Grimmjow extensive injureies, Byakuya threw his slender, grey-clad arms around the espada's neck, hugging him as close as he could provided their sitting arrangements, as he buries his nose and cheek against the side of Grimmjow's neck before quickly lifting up his head so he may place affectionate, butterfly kisses to Jeagerjaques' temple and brow.

"...you have...no idea what it means to me to hear you say that, Grimmjow...you make me...very... happy..." Byakuya whispered against Grimmjow's closed eyes, the soul reaper trailing his candy-sweet kisses down Jeagerjaques' rugged, perfect features, peppering his cheeks, touching his nose, before finally settling on Grimmjow's luscious lips that Kuchiki absolutely cherished in this singular, outstanding moment.

"...ow..."Grimmjow grumbled comically out of the corner of his mouth whilst he let Byakuya squeeze his bandaged back and shoulders, kissing him like either of them would die should he stop, and it was only after hearing such a sound escape his lover did Kuchiki realize just how tightly he was holding onto the bedridden espada.

"Sorry..." the raven-haired noble apologized with a light, sympathetic smile adorning his heavenly features as he somewhat reluctantly allowed for Grimmjow to lean back away from his crushing hold, the soul reaper now seeing how Grimmjow had his features scrunched up in evident discomfort, "...how are you feeling?"

Grimmjow smoothly relaxed his expression, along with his very soul and aura, as he graced Byakuya with a charming smirk, his sapphire eyes blinking at their wondrous connection, now no longer in thoughts and fears alone, but something nearly tangible and ethereal existing between them both, still joining them even with their fingers slipped out of the others' reach.

"...never been better," Grimmjow answered Byakuya's concerned question with meaningful, knowing words in his low, enamoring tone; the nature of the espada's words being of how, in spite of his obvious injuries and physical pain, that Grimmjow wholly cherished this very moment with Byakuya, weighing heavily on the smiling, deeply pleased soul reaper, who was also absolutely loving such a cloud-soft instance of nearly surreal revelation and impossible emotion with his every fiber...something even stronger than before in which the both of them could comfortably forfeit the rest of the world.

_Author's Note:_ YEAH! Only one more chapter to go...I think; I'm pretty sure...and then the store is closed, my friends. Thanks to all who have stuck with me and this story for its (extra-long) duration, and I look forward to reading some of your ideas about how to close this puppy up. XD Cheers.


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